China has no locus standi on the Dalai Lama's visit: Tharoor

Former union minister and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday asserted that China has absolutely no locus standi on Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama's visit to India, adding New Delhi must take a firm stand without being unnecessarily intimidated by Beijing's assertion.

Stating that we have to be uncompromising on this issue, Tharoor told ANI that Arunachal Pradesh is a state of the Indian Union and the people living there are Indian citizens.

"The Dalai Lama is a spiritual leader of the Tibetan Buddhist community. He has the right to go and visit the great monastery of his faith in which the sixth Dalai Lamas was born. It's perfectly normal for Dalai Lama to go and India should facilitate it," Tharoor said.

"China has absolutely no locus standi in the matter and we should take a firm stand without being unnecessarily intimidated by their spokesman," he added.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) yesterday issued a statement, saying that no additional colour should be ascribed to the Dalai Lama's religious and spiritual activities.

China has repeatedly warned India that the Dalai Lama's visit would hit the bilateral ties significantly.

Protesting the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, China earlier on Friday warned India to avoid damaging bilateral relations between the two nations and adhere to political pledges or else face the consequences.