Dharamshala: Members of Parliament, Dawa Tsering and Ngawang Tharpa completed their official visit to Tibetan winter sweater sellers of Tatanagar in Odisha, Purulia, and Asansol in West Bengal, and Dhanbad and Ranchi in Jharkhand from 30 November to 2 December.
On 30 November, the delegates visited and addressed Tibetan winter sweater sellers of Tatanagar in West Bengal. They spoke on the accomplishments of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, CTA’s Middle Way Policy, the critical situation inside Tibet, the evolution of Tibetan democratic polity, and procedures of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile. The Parliamentarians provided answers to the questions raised by them and listened to their grievances.
A Buddhist association in Jharkhand, which had been unsuccessful in inviting His Holiness the Dalai Lama for a Buddhist ceremony previously, received the Parliamentarians and expressed their heartfelt desire to invite His Holiness the Dalai Lama, jointly with the Tata Groups. So, the President of the Buddhist association requested them to apprise the same to the concerned office.
Then, the Parliamentarians visited and addressed Tibetan winter sweater sellers of Purulia and Asansol in West Bengal respectively. The Parliamentarians also answered questions asked by them.
On December 1, the Parliamentarians visited and addressed Tibetan winter sweater sellers’ market ‘B’ of Dhanbad. They called in on Shri Raj Sinha, Member of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly from Dhanbad, who has always been a strong supporter for Tibetan winter sweater sellers there. The Parliamentarians presented a souvenir of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile and urged him to continue supporting Tibetans of the region. The MLA, in response, assured his full support.
Next day, the Parliamentarians visited and addressed Tibetan winter sweater sellers’ market ‘A’ of Dhanbad. They also paid a visit to the Central University of Jharkhand to meet Prof. Nand Kumar Yadav, the Vice-Chancellor. They expressed their gratitude to India for the undying support to Tibetans and in particular, the Central University of Jharkhand for starting Tibetan studies in their curriculum. The Parliamentarians presented the book, The political history of Tibet, translated in Hindi to the Professor.
Dr. Harish Sankrityayan, the President of World Buddha Foundation, during the Parliamentarians meeting with him, communicated their earnest wish to offer vacant land for establishing a branch of Men-Tsee-Khang and a Tibetan Monastery or at least sending four Buddhist monks. The Parliamentarians, in response, assured to appraise the matter of establishing monastery to the Department of Religion and Culture and suggested the President contact Men-Tse-Khang for establishing a branch of Men-Tsee-Khang.
On 3 December, the Parliamentarians visited and addressed Tibetan winter sweater sellers of Ranchi in Jharkhand and departed to Gaya to continue their official tour.
-Filed by Tibetan Parliamentary Secretariat-