Model community
Tibetans in India need better state support
By backing Dalai Lama's position on succession, Union minister Kiren Rijiju has rightly countered China's position that only Beijing can approve the choice of the next Tibetan spiritual leader. Dalai Lama, and thousands of Tibetans, chose India as their refuge when China captured Tibet in 1950s. Since then, Tibetans in India have lived as a model community. Spread across 39 formal settlements and dozens of informal colonies throughout India, Tibetans have added richness to our social milieu with their cuisine, medicine, culture and spirituality.
A lot of this is because of Dalai Lama himself. He has repeatedly expressed his gratitude to India for providing shelter to Tibetans. Contrast this with China where Tibetan culture is being slowly Sinicised, and Tibetan Buddhism is practised under strict supervision of Chinese Communist Party minders. It is in India that Tibetans have been able to freely practise their religion.
India has a great track record in sheltering refugees – taking in millions during Bangladesh's 1971 Liberation War – and successive Indian govts have done a lot for Tibetan refugees. But several everyday issues remain. Tibetans face restrictions in terms of travel, can't buy property in India, most can't access bank credit, and have very limited access to higher education and healthcare. Their stateless status can be ameliorated through practical provisions on the ground. Seventy years of their peaceful existence in India shows migrants can add value to society. Tibetans deserve our continued support.
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This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
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