SHILLONG: The Sikyong (Prime Minister) of the Tibetan Government in Exile, Lobsang Sangay, on Tuesday asserted that he would not tolerate the involvement of members of the Tibetan in any illegal activities in India.
To a question on some members of the community being involved in allegedly running illegal liquor shops in parts of Shillong, Sangay said, “Majority of Tibetans are engaged in various jobs as per the law of the land. But there may be an exception of one per cent.”
During a formal interaction with the media here on Tuesday, Sangay made it clear that Tibetans should not undertake any business if it is against the law of the land.
He also referred to the cases of hardworking Tibetans engaged in selling clothes in several parts of the country to sustain themselves.
McMahon Line: To a query on Chinese aggression, especially oriented towards Arunachal Pradesh, Sangay said that the McMahon Line dividing Arunachal and China should be accepted by both sides so as to arrive at a permanent solution to the ongoing border dispute between the two neighbouring countries.
It was as per the Simla Accord signed between British India and Tibet in 1914 that the McMahon Line was agreed upon as the boundary between India and Tibet, Sangay said.
However, China refused to accept the boundary line, while India considers it as legal.
Middle path to solve Tibetan issue
Earlier, the Tibetan Prime Minister spoke about the Tibetan struggle and underlined the need to save the region from losing its ecology.
Sangay, who has covered 95 per cent of Tibetan settlements across India with the aim of what he calls as ‘connecting the dots’, said that the Tibetan administration follows the ‘Middle Way approach’, one between ‘repression and separation’.
Pointing out that 125 Tibetans have committed self-immolation over the years, Sangay said the extreme act is a direct consequence of the sufferings of the Tibetan people, which needs to come to an end. Hence, the administration is ready to compromise with China in not seeking separation from the Communist state as long as genuine autonomy is given to safeguard the interests of the Tibetan people, the Sikyong said.
“We will not challenge China’s sovereignty and integrity if Tibetans are provided autonomy,” he added.
Asked about India’s role in resolving the ‘China-Tibet’ dispute, the Sikyong said India has a major role to play as Tibet is also a core issue for India.
The Tibetan leader also acknowledged and thanked India for offering the helping hand all along.
Sangay said he was happy to visit Shillong where he has several friends since his Delhi University days.
Sangay ended the interaction on an optimistic note stating that ‘the Dalai Lama will return to Tibet soon’.