India today clarified that its position on the Dalai Lama remains the same after a section media reported that New Delhi has asked officials to stay away from Tibetan functions to mark 60 years in exile of the spiritual guru, citing it a ‘sensitive time’ for Sino-India ties.
In a statement issued here, the Ministry of External Affairs said that the Tibetan spiritual leader is ‘accorded all freedom to carry out his religious activities in India’.
The Ministry reiterated that New Delhi's stance on the Dalai Lama was ‘clear and consistent’.
“Government’s position on His Holiness the Dalai Lama is clear and consistent. He is a revered religious leader and is deeply respected by people of India. There is no change in that position. He is accorded all freedom to carry out his religious activities in India,” the MEA said.
The clarification comes in the wake of reports that the Centre has asked its officials not to attend the Dalai Lama events in a bid to mend fences with Beijing.
Reports even claimed that Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale had last month reportedly issued an official statement asking officials to skip all functions of the Dalai Lama.
A series of events have been planned to mark 60 years of the Dalai Lama being in India.
The Tibetan spiritual leader fled Lhasa in Tibet in March 1959 when the Chinese government cracked down on the Tibetan independence movement.
