Gangtok: Concurring with the Tibetan parliamentary visitation in northeast India, parliamentarian Dhondup Tashi has successfully concluded his official visit to Gangtok and areas under the jurisdiction of the Gangtok Tibetan Settlement Office from 27th Oct to 1st Nov 2022. During his visit there, parliamentarian Dhondup Tashi paid courtesy calls on Shri Hishey Lachungpa, MP of Rajya Sabha, and Shri Arun Kumar Upreti, Speaker of Sikkim Legislative Assembly. He also met with Tibetan residents, government officials, and Tibet supporters.
Upon reaching Gangtok on 28th October 2022, parliamentarian Dhondup Tashi was received by the Gangtok Tibetan Settlement Officer Lhakpa Tsering led staff members of TSO, Chairperson Jinpa, and members of Local Tibetan Assembly, Presidents of Utsang, Dotoe and Domey associations, President of Regional Tibetan Women Association, and President of Regional Tibetan Youth Congress.
For the next two days, parliamentarians visited Lachen and Lachung in north Sikkim, and Nathu-la, a mountain pass in east Sikkim bordering Tibet, and met with Tibetans living there.
On 30th Oct, the parliamentarian paid a courtesy visit to Shri Hishey Lachungpa, MP of Rajya Sabha, and extended his gratitude for the assistance provided by the state government to Tibetans living in Sikkim. He apprised the MP of the Washington Declaration adopted at the 8th World Parliamentarians Convention on Tibet and urged his contribution in seeking the conferment of Bharat Ratna on His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Shri Lachungpa informed that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is revered with the highest devotion by Tibetan and Sikkimese people alike, especially by the MP himself who had earlier tried hard and will continue to do until His Holiness the Dalai Lama is conferred with the Bharat Ratna. The MP further mentioned that he had attended many Tibetan occasions including His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday celebration in Gangtok and spoke on the importance of taking part in such occasions by the Tibetan community.
Parliamentarian Dhondup Tashi, on 31st Oct, paid a series of visits to Guru Kubum Lhakhang, Rumtek monastery, Surmang monastery, and Sera Jey monastery, followed by a meeting with Dr. L. P. Sharma, President of Bharat Tibbat Sahyog Munch. During their meeting, they discussed ways to strengthen the friendship between Indians and Tibetans. Later that evening, the parliamentarian had a public talk at the Choeka-sum hall of Gangtok where he spoke on the status of Tibet’s issue, agendas of the 4th session of the 17th TPiE, policy of the CTA, and great accomplishments of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He reiterated the significance of protecting its distinct Tibetan identity by preserving its language, culture, and heritage. Six Tibetan organizations/ associations of Gangtok, Utsang association, Dotoe association, Domey association, Regional Tibetan Women Association, Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, and Regional Tibetan Freedom Movement, hosted a dinner reception in honour of the parliamentarian.
On 1st November, the parliamentarian paid a visit to Sakya Ngor monastery and paid a courtesy call on Shri Arun Kumar Upreti, Speaker of Sikkim Legislative Assembly. The parliamentarian also had a meeting with DC Ragul K, IAS, on the same day. The parliamentarian concluded his official tour of Gangtok by visiting the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, the Men-Tsee-Khang branch, the Gangtok Tibetan Settlement Office, the Health care centre, and others.
The parliamentarian will continue his official visit by visiting Ravangla Tibetan Settlement in South Sikkim.