Delhi: As part of its efforts to strengthen and revitalize Tibet Support Groups (TSGs) in Sikkim and North Bengal, the India Tibet Coordination Office (ITCO) and the Himalayan Committee for Action on Tibet (HIMCAT) organized a Tibet Support Group meeting at the Himalayan Buddhist Cultural School (HBCS) in Salugara, West Bengal on 28th August, 2023. The event was graced by Chief Guest Shri Surendra Kumar ji, National Co-Convener for the Core Group for Tibetan Cause-India (CGTC-I), and Special Guest Shri Soumyadeep Dutta ji, Regional Convener for CGTC-I, among others.
The attendees included representatives from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local residents, and senior students from the school.
Shri Sonam Lhundup, Secretary of HIMCAT Siliguri and former Regional Convener of Core Group for Tibetan Cause – India (CGTC-I) welcomed the guests and participants, shedding light on HIMCAT and HBCS activities. He emphasised the importance of collaboration and coordination among various Tibet Support Groups (TSGs) and Tibetan NGOs centered around Salugara.
Shri Soumyadeep Dutta highlighted the interconnectedness of the Tibetan issue with India’s security and interests. He underscored that post the Chinese occupation of Tibet, there have been security threats, constraints on pilgrimages to Hindu holy sites, pollution of the Brahmaputra River due to activities in Tibet, and the need to safeguard Tibetan Buddhism. He encouraged viewing the Tibetan issue through the cultural lens, highlighting shared historical ties between Hinduism and Buddhism.
Thupten Rinzin, ITCO Coordinator introduced the India Tibet Coordination Office (ITCO) and discussed the UN report’s alarming revelation of a million Tibetan children being forced into Communist residential schools, endangering Tibetan culture, religion, and language. He also stated that the Himalayan people have an additional responsibility to support Tibetan cause because of the historical relationship and affinity shared with Tibet.
Chief Guest Shri Surendra Kumar ji acknowledged historical Indian support for the Tibetan cause and stressed the importance of raising awareness, urging the inclusion of Tibet in political party manifestos and support for Tibet-friendly candidates. He emphasized the historical, cultural, and religious ties between Tibet and India, attributing current border challenges to China’s illegal occupation of Tibet. He praised the leadership of the 14th Dalai Lama and requested local support for the Tibetan cause.
The event marked the formation of the new HIMCAT working committee in Siliguri. The program concluded with expressions of gratitude and well-wishes for the new committee’s tenure. The dignitaries then departed from Salugara for Darjeeling.
-Reported by ITCO, New Delhi