NEW DELHI: Bharat Tibbat Sahyog Manch, a Tibet Support Group in India, organised a seminar titled “India China relations and the Question of Independent Tibet” in Amritsar in northern India on 26 August.

Mr Jigmey Tsultrim, head of India-Tibet Coordination Office in Delhi, presided over the seminar, which was attended by more than 100 participants from the region.

Dr. K.C. Agnihothri, National working president, Bharat Tibbat Sahyog Manch, spoke on historical ties between India and Tibet and he said the relationship is older than the epic Mahabharata.

He recalled that many former Indian leaders like Sardar Vallabhai Patel, Dr. Rammanohar Lohia, Loknayak J.P. Narayan, Acharya J.B. Kriplani, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and others raised concern over Tibet’s invasion by Chinese Communist and cautioned the Government of India of Chinese imperialist policy.

He stated that Bharat Tibbat Sahyog Manch would call for a people’s movement in India against the repressive policy of People’s Republic of China and human rights violations against the Tibetan people inside Tibet. He also said it would appeal to the Indian government to change its Tibet policy with China and work towards a peaceful solution to the cause of Tibet.

Mr Jigmey Tsultrim briefed the participants on the situation in Tibet. He said the Chinese government’s systemic policies of political repression, cultural assimilation, religious persecution and environmental destruction have driven over 130 Tibetans to burn themselves in protest. He said the universal call of the Tibetans who self-immlolated i