Tawang:
Arriving in this border town to a rousing reception on a visit resented by China, the Dalai Lama
On Sunday rebuffed it for objecting to his trip to Arunachal Pradesh and expressed surprise over its claims to Tawang, a revered seat of Buddhism.
Tawang resplendent with prayer flags fluttering across the hills and people burning incense sticks to receive the Dalai Lama who arrived here after two postponements. But for the people here, the visit assumed spiritual significance rather than anything political.
However, the Dalai Lama surprised everyone with overt political statements on China and recounted his great escape 50 years ago through Tawang.
"It is totally baseless on the part of the Chinese Communist Government to say that I am encouraging a separatist movement. My visit to Tawang is non-political and aimed at promoting universal brotherhood and nothing else," he said.
"After the 5th round of talks with China, they acknowledged that I was not seeking separation but soon they intensified their accusations that I am a separatist," the Dalai Lama further said.
The 74-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader, who is visiting this remote north-eastern state after a gap of six years drawing international attention in the wake of Chinese protests, also rejected Beijing's charge he was encouraging a separatist movement calling it baseless. The Nobel Laureate
characterised his "emotional" visit to Tawang, which has strong ties to Tibet, as non-political.
The Dalai Lama effect is not only felt on his followers who consider his presence auspicious but also on the Sino-Indian dynamics centering on Tibet. (With PTI inputs)