And McLeod lives happily ever after
Thursday, 10 May 2007, 2:49 p.m.
At the news conference, (from right) Kalon Thubten Lungrig, Dolma Gyari, SP Ajay Yadav and DC Bharat Khera (Photo Sangay Kep) |
Dharamshala: The brawl incident leading to some form of a communal standoff for over a week reached a happy climax yesterday, with the local taxi and auto unions offering apologies to the two Tibetan girls, who were beaten up when they had intervened to stop the fight.
A joint press statement by both the communities here declared that the matter has been amicably resolved, and that the charges pressed against those involved in the brawl have been withdrawn.
A battery of both Indian and Tibetan dignitaries were present at the news conference, including Deputy Speaker Dolma Gyari, Kalon Thubten Lungrig, Tibetan MPs, Deputy Commissioner Bharat Khera, Superintendent of Police Ajay Yadav, and members of various NGOs and fraternities.
After all three versions of the joint statement–in Tibetan, Hindi and English–were read out, Dolma Gyari underlined that the fisticuff between few individuals has been misrepresented as a clash between the auto/taxi unions and the local Tibetan community.
Members of various NGOs and fraternities thronged yesterday’s news conference at Hotel Bhagsu |
In order to prevent a repeat of similar incidents, Mrs Gyari said, both the communities should promote mutual respect and trust through formal and informal interactions.
In his remarks, SP Ajay Yadav said that minor incidents are a feature of daily life.
“However, lower-level incidents must be resolved at their level; they need not be tackled at the higher levels,” said Mr Yadav, citing “why use a sword, when a needle could do the job as well.”
In his remarks, DC Bharat Khera, said due to the presence of His Holiness, this town has for about half a century exemplified a model for peaceful and harmonious co-existence between two communities.
Because of a high degree of cross-cultural fusion, Indians and Tibetans in this town have never viewed each other as aliens, Mr Khera added.
“Tibetans are as much citizens of Dharamshala, as the local Indian populace. Similarly, Indians revere His Holiness the Dalai Lama as much as Tibetans do.”
Mr Khera concluded the function by inviting all the Tibetans to the three-day Indian Summer Festival beginning today here at the Kachari police ground.