Dalai Lama events in Delhi cancelled

The Tibetan government-in-exile has decided to cancel its two main events in New Delhi slated to mark 60 years of its exile India.

The events, which were to be attended by Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, were scheduled on March 31 and April 1.

However, officials of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) headquartered here were tight-lipped about the development.

A media report quoting CTA spokesperson Sonam Dagpo, who is based here, said: "The Thyagaraj stadium event has been shifted to Dharamsala now. And the inter-faith prayer at Rajghat has been cancelled for now.

"India is host to Tibetan refugees. We respect the Indian government's decision. We have no further comments," said Dagpo.

The CTA had planned an inter-faith prayer at the Gandhi Samadhi in Rajghat in Delhi on March 31 and a 'Thank You India' event at the Thyagaraj Sports Complex on April 1.

Sixty years ago, some 80,000 Tibetans, along with their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, left Lhasa after a failed uprising against Communist rule over Tibet and fled to India.

The Tibetan exile administration, called the CTA, is based in this northern Indian hill town, where the spiritual leader also lives.

The Tibetan administration is launching a round-the-year campaign in India on March 17 from Arunachal Pradesh to reach out to the Indian community through "Thank You India" events.

Both the New Delhi events were also part of "Thank You India" campaign.

The spiritual leader entered India on March 31, 1959, through Arunachal Pradesh, along with his followers.

--IANS

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