Former House Speaker Critical of Indian Prime Minister’s Tibet Policy
Shri Rabi Ray |
Dharamsala, 11 August 2003: A long-time Tibet supporter and a former Lok Sabha Speaker Rabi Ray came down heavily on the Indian Prime Minister’s signing of a joint declaration in Beijing and his clarification later on the floor of the Parliament recently.
Shri Ray was speaking at a meeting of national executives of India – Tibet Friendship Society held on the 10th August 2003 in New Delhi.
Shri Ray recalled a speech of Shri Vajpayee delivered on 27th April 1989 when he said, “I am an admirer of Nehru but by accepting Tibet as a part of China, Nehru did commit a Himalayan blunder. …But if we remain silent on Tibet then we are doing justice neither to Tibet nor to ourselves…”.
Shri Ray strongly criticized this deviation in the Indian Prime Minister’s stand on Tibet.
Answering questions of the members of the Parliament on 1st August 2003, Vajpayee said, “Times have changed. The most important change is that previously I applied my wisdom on the feelings of the public and expressed them. But now I contemplate on the feelings of the public and watch every issue from the national interest point of view. As far as the question of Tibet is concerned, we have tried to find the best possible solution to this problem. Whatever Shri Rajiv Gandhi had said on this issue during his visit, we have stressed on the same this time. Tibet is a very big region and in that there is an autonomous region also, but to go into detail on that will give rise to a new debate.”
Shri Rabi Ray said that the two statements by the same man are not just contradicting each other but also misleading the Parliament and the Indian public. He expressed his disappointment over the fact that the country is not taking this seriously.
He said, ” Shri Atal Ji has battered the interest of India and Tibet to the feet of the Chinese masters. India’s interest is linked with the interest of Tibet and Atal Ji returned empty handed. And sadly the Parliament did not even question him”.
With inputs from ITCO ( India- Tibet Coordination Office) Delhi