Modi should meet Dalai Lama on his birthday: Strategic affairs expert

The future of the Tibetan government in exile has attracted international attention in recent years as the Dalai Lama advances in age, given worries China would appoint its man as spiritual leader one day.

Now, the birthday of the Tibetan spiritual leader has become an object of attention, given the spike in tension between India and China over the past month after the clash at Galwan.

While India has hosted the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile for 61 years, it has usually steered clear of the birthday celebrations, purportedly with the aim of keeping China in good humour.

On Sunday, strategic affairs expert and author Brahma Chellaney argued that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should wish the Dalai Lama on his birthday, "if not meet him in person".

Chellaney wrote on Twitter, "@narendramodi has long been tweeting birthday greetings. Today, he wished UP's chief minister happy birthday. Tomorrow the Dalai Lama turns 85. Amid China's aggression, shouldn't Modi wish His Holiness happy birthday on Twitter, if not meet him in person?”

On July 2, Chellaney had accused the Modi government of "ending all official contact with Dalai Lama and Tibet's government-in-exile" in 2018. Chellaney then listed the move as a policy blunder similar to Jawaharlal Nehru's surrender of "India's extra-territorial rights in Tibet to occupier China" in 1954 and A.B. Vajpayee's "formal recognition" of Tibet as part of China in 2003.

Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports (Independent Charge) Kiren Rijiju became the first member of the Modi government to wish the Dalai Lama on his birthday on Monday. Rijiju, who is a Buddhist, tweeted, "On the auspicious occasion of the 85th birthday of His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama, I offer my deepest reverence, prayers, and wishes for his long and healthy life. His values and ideals are the guiding light towards love, peace and compassion for entire humanity."

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu greeted the Dalai Lama on his birthday, tweeting, "A very warm birthday wishes to His Holiness the 14th #DalaiLama. On this special auspicious day of your 85th birthday, me and my family joins millions of followers across the globe, to rejoice and offer our prayers for your excellent health, happiness and long life."

US Ambassador Ken Juster, who will be chief guest at the main celebration of the Dalai Lama's birthday, tweeted, "It is our privilege to work with His Holiness to advance the values that Americans & Tibetans share. "

Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Jairam Ramesh also wished the Dalai Lama on his birthday.

Journalist and author Swati Chaturvedi tweeted that the Dalai Lama be awarded the Bharat Ratna. Chaturvedi tweeted, "Announcing a Bharat Ratna for the Dalai Lama today on his birthday would be an excellent move by the Modi govt. Let China fume.”