Tibetan govt-in-exile condemns Chinese embassy`s letter to Indian parliamentarians

`We condemn such letter which was sent to the Indian Parliament members and as a democratic country, the Parliament members have their rights to look at what they think and over the last, so many years...,` a spokesperson of Tibetan government-in-exile Tenzin Lakshay said.

New Delhi: The Tibetan government-in-exile has strongly condemned the Chinese Embassy`s letter to Indian parliamentarians and said that Tibet has never been a part of China.

"We condemn such letter which was sent to the Indian Parliament members and as a democratic country, the Parliament members have their rights to look at what they think and over the last, so many years, we have so many supports and solidarities from the Indian parliamentarians and many great leaders of India. So there has been a tradition," a spokesperson of Tibetan government-in-exile Tenzin Lakshay said.

"In fact, all-party Indian parliamentary forum for Tibet was in existence since 1970. It was in continuation under the leadership of many great Indian leaders. So this letter in fact if you look at the content of the letter it was a purely propagandist letter that threatens Indian parliament members not to interfere in Tibetan affairs.

Lakshay said, "The letter said that Tibet was historically a part of China since ancient times which was not true. But Tibet was an occupied state after the PRC was formed in 1959 and we have been living in exile for the last 60 years."

"But the letter said that Central Tibetan administration is an illegal separatist political group. We reject that with a confirmation that the central Tibetan administration is working on a policy which is a middle way policy to get genuine autonomy within the framework of the Chinese constitution," added Lakshay.

Stressing that this is not about separatism, Lakshay said that it is about willing to integrate to share and to fulfil the aspirations of Tibetan people inside Tibet. 

"So we reject the content of the letter completely and hope that the Chinese leaders have a wisdom with a new year coming, they have the wisdom to fulfil the aspirations of Tibetan people and resume the dialogue to resolve the Sino-Tibet conflict," said Lakshay.

The condemnation came after Zhou Yongsheng, political counsellor, Chinese Embassy to India, wrote a letter to members of the Indian parliament for attending an event held by all party Indian parliamentary forum for Tibet and their interaction with Tibetan parliamentarians in exile earlier this month.