New Delhi: With the Indian Parliament’s budget session in progress, Tibetan Parliamentary Delegation led by Deputy Speaker Dolma Tsering Teykhang and consisting of Parliamentarians Tenpa Yarphel, Khenpo Kada Ngedup Sonam, and Phurpa Dorjee Gyaldhong has been advocating Tibet’s issue in the capital for the past three days meeting 38 Indian lawmakers including Ministers and political leaders of various political parties of India.
During their meeting with the Indian lawmakers, the members of the delegation apprised on the ever-critical situation inside Tibet which remains grim and alarming despite China’s lofty claims of having liberated and developed. With the shrinking space to show dissent since 2009 over 157 Tibetans from every sector of society have set fire to themselves in protest against China’s repressive policies that include political repression, cultural assimilation, population transfer, racial discrimination, economic and educational marginalization, massive environmental destruction and indiscriminate exploitation of mineral, water and forest resources that has led to the destruction of the entire Tibetan Plateau impacting the world climate at large.
The delegation led by the Deputy Speaker urged the honourable members of the Indian Parliament to take a leading role in the international arena on the question of survival of the Tibetan identity and its rich cultural heritage and to join the world leaders in expressing concern over human rights violation, religious repression in Tibet. Likewise, they requested the Indian lawmakers to support early resumption of dialogue with the envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Communist China and to join the world leaders to urge United Nations’ Framework Conventions on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to launch a scientific research study to understand the impact of climate change on Tibetan plateau on global climate change.
On 4th of April, the Tibetan Parliamentarians began their Tibet Advocacy Campaign by visiting the headquarters of major Indian political parties in Delhi. Starting with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Tibetan Parliamentary delegation met with Shri S. R. Kohli, National Secretary of NCP and briefed him on the Tibet issue. Followed by visiting headquarters of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party, Communist Party of India (CPI), Janata Dal United (JDU), National People’s Party (NPP), Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi State), and All India Congress Committee (AICC). During which the Tibetan MPs had very meaningful discussions with Shri Chidambaram Ravi, National Committee Member of CPI, Shri Afaque Ahmed Khan, General Secretary of JDU, Shri Sonelal Kol, National Secretary of NPP and other officials of different political parties.
The Tibetan Parliamentarians on the first day of their Tibet advocacy campaign had the opportunity of meeting with Smt. Renuka Chowdhury, former Minister of Tourism and former MP (INC), Shri Kesineni Srinivas, Lok Sabha MP of Telugu Desam Party (TDP); Shri H. D. Devegowda, former Prime Minister of India and current Rajya Sabha member and President of Janata Dal (Secular), and Shri Naresh Bansal, Rajya Sabha MP of BJP.
Likewise, the second day of the campaign started with a breakfast meeting with Shri Sujeet Kumar, MP Rajya Sabha (Biju Janata Dal) and the Convener of All Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet (APIPFT) discussing varied issues related to the cause of Tibet. Followed by meeting with Shri Sanjay Singh, MP Rajya Sabha (AAP); and Shri Chandra Sekhar Sahu, MP Lok Sabha (Biju Janata Dal); Shri Pradhan Baruah, MP Lok Sabha (BJP); Shri Mitesh Patel, MP Lok Sabha (BJP); Shri P. L. Punia, former MP (INC) and current General Secretary of AICC and Shri Syed Naseer Hussain, MP Rajya Sabha of INC.
On the same day, the delegation members also had the opportunity of meeting Shri Kiren Rijiju, Minister of Law and Justice who on the request of the Tibetan Parliament members arranged a meetup with the Indian Parliament members from North Eastern states of India on the next day. During which the Deputy Speaker led Tibetan Parliamentary delegation had the opportunity of meeting more than 20 MPs from North East India altogether. They met with Shri Kiren Rijiju, Minister of Law & Justice; Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways & Minister of AYUSH; Shri Rameswar Teli, MoS (Petroleum & Natural Gas & Labour and Employment); Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, MoS (Education & External Affairs);Shri Bhubaneswar Kalita, MP Rajya Sabha (BJP); Shri Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, MP Rajya Sabha (BJP); Shri Pabitra Margherita, MP Rajya Sabha (BJP); Shri Birendra Prasad Baishya, MP Rajya Sabha (AGP); Shri Rwngwra Narzary, MP Rajya Sabha (UPPL); Shri Horen Sing Bey, MP Lok Sabha (BJP); Shri Topon Kumar Gogoi, MP Lok Sabha (BJP); Smt. Queen Oja, MP Lok Sabha (BJP); Dr. Rajdeep Roy, MP Lok Sabha (BJP); Shri Pradyut Bordoloi, MP Lok Sabha (INC); Shri Abdul Khaleque, MP Lok Sabha (INC); Shri S. Lorho Pfoze, MP Lok Sabha (NPF); Dr. Wanweiroy Kharlukhi, MP Lok Sabha (NPP); Shri Vincent Pala, MP Lok Sabha (INC); Smt. S. Phangnon Konyak, MP Rajya Sabha (BJP); Shri Yepthomi Tokheho, MP Rajya Sabha (NDPP); Shri Subba Indra Hang, MP Lok Sabha (SKM); Dr. Manik Saha, MP Rajya Sabha (BJP) and Shri Rebati Tripura, MP Lok Sabha (BJP).
Continuing with the Tibet advocacy campaign, the members of Tibetan Parliamentary delegation on the third day, 6th of April, visited Parliament Library Complex where the delegation met with Shri Nama Nageswara Rao, MP Lok Sabha (Telangana Rashtra Samithi) and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Library; and also met Dr. B. Venkatesh Netha, MP Lok Sabha (Telangana Rashtra Samithi). The delegation was toured into the library complex and museum by its Director Smt. Rachana Sharma and Secretary Shri Prasanjit Singh (IAS) accompanied by other staff. Following that on the same day, they had the opportunity of meeting Shri C. Lalrosanga, MP Lok Sabha (Mizo National Front), and Shri Ripun Bora, former MP of Rajya Sabha (INC).