By Anirudh Singla
A contentious display of foreign policy since the exile of Dalai Lama from Tibet has continued bitter ties between India and China. These ties had eventually led to a war in 1962. Recently, Dalai Lama’s visit to?Tawang has been the source of many anxieties. Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, has always been of religious significance to Buddhism. Enhanced in status as the 6th?Dalai Lama?s birthplace, Tawang continues to be of keen political interest to both the nations. Despite having visited Arunachal Pradesh several times over the decades, the Dalai Lama has visited Tawang only in 2009 ? 50 years post his initial visit.
Eight years later, the Dalai Lama reached Tawang on 8th April, 2017 for a three-day visit after having accepted the invitation of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Pema Khandu. With no formal occasion as such, the visit is termed as purely religious and the Dalai Lama is expected to hold religious discourses and deliver public talks that pertain to non-political issues.
Is Dalai Lama being used as a political tool?
The reason that the Dalai Lama?s visit to Tawang is being speculated so widely is due to its disputed territory status. Beijing claims control of the Tawang tract and refers to the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet. It exerts that it has an inalienable right over this territory.?India has strongly refuted these claims by China and has in turn strengthened security at the border, near the MacMohan line. With proper infrastructural boost being provided near the border region, New Delhi is in no mood to cede any region to Beijing.
Seemingly unnerved by the Dalai Lama?s visit, Beijing?s concern is evident from the fact that various regional groups have threatened the Dalai Lama to not speak against China. An analyst from the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times?on the condition of anonymity that, “This is not the first time India has used the Dalai Lama to express its displeasure to China, especially when bilateral talks fail to include their demands or to pander to domestic anti-China issues.” Having strengthened deployment in the Sino-Indian border, ?border infrastructure development is on a rise ? serving perhaps as India’s tactical response and underlying foreign policy.
Whose third party involvement is it anyway?
Refraining from bringing it up, even in the United Nations, China considers Tibet as an integral part of its sovereignty. It strongly condemns New Delhi?s recent actions and support to Dalai Lama. Terming it as interference in a disputed region, China has never accepted the entry of ?a third party?in its relation with Tibet, whilst irony highlighting its own role in the issue of Kashmir. By building a major highway, linking China with Pakistan, China has steadily aligned interests and support to the latter country. It has already assuaged Islamabad by making India?s membership bid to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) tough along with expressing vehement opposition to the inclusion of Azhar Mehmoos, JeM chief in a UN-designated list of international terrorists.?
Severe repercussions on the horizon?
Stressing the visit by Dalai Lama as a purely ?religious affair? and without a political message, India has been pointing to the previous visit back in 2009. Is this an attempt to project a fa?ade of assuaging the Chinese Government? The External Affairs Ministry has stated in a press release that, ?No additional colour should be ascribed to the Dalai Lama?s religious and spiritual activities and visits to various states of India. His visit to Tawang is purely a religious affair.? ?Will the visit have repercussions? If yes, then the level of severity for now, is debatable.
Featured image source: The Statesman
