PTI
JALANDHAR, NOVEMBER 15
Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has said India is a nation of non-violence and noted that the Bihar election results show that a majority of the Hindus believes in peace and amity.
“India has a long tradition of peace and amity. The people of Bihar in the recent Assembly polls have proved that a large section of the Hindu community still believes in peace and amity,” the 14th Dalai Lama said without naming any political party or leader.
“It is because of this amity that India is known worldwide as a country of religious tolerance. All religions and individuals are given equal respect here,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Jalandhar.
“Religious tolerance not only means respecting all religions but also the people. Buddhism too started in this nation and because of this, India is the guru and all Buddhists are students,” he said.
Asked about terrorism, the Tibetan spiritual leader said, “First we must create an atmosphere of peace and it should be initiated from one’s own home. Encouraging religious tolerance is the need of the hour and should be done through schools and universities.”
Speaking on climate change, the Dalai Lama said, “This is everyone’s responsibility. We all need to work together and give primacy to it. The big nation gives main importance to its own profit while the issue of climate change comes way down its agenda.”
Addressing students of Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Jalandhar during its convocation ceremony, the Dalai Lama said, “You are the 21st century people and should make this a century of peace, love and compassion all over the globe.”
“You should not take life easily. You should work hard and be optimistic. Our prime purpose in this life is to help others as we all are human beings of one world. If we can’t help, at least we should not hurt others,” he was quoted as saying by a University release.
Asking students to “preserve India’s great culture for a better world”, the Tibetan spiritual leader said, “To make ourselves and others feel happy, we must practice compassion. This is my simple religion.”
“The present problems in the world are created by people themselves. We will have to solve out these ourselves. No God or prayers can get us out of our self-created problems. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple and its philosophy should be peace and compassion,” he said.
The University conferred the degree of Doctor of Divinity, Honoris Causa, upon the Dalai Lama “for his courageous statesmanship, scientific temperament, and universal benevolence”.
During the convocation ceremony, presided by Punjab and Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, the Dalai Lama honoured LPU toppers of various academic programmes.
BJP downplays Dalai Lama’s remark on Bihar result
The reported remarks of the Dalai Lama, Tibetan spiritual leader, that the Bihar poll results proved that a majority of Hindus preferred harmony received the support of the Janata Dal (United) while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) played down the statement.
“India has a long tradition of peace and amity. The people of Bihar in the recent Assembly polls have proved that a large section of the Hindu community still believes in peace and amity,” the Dalai Lama had said in Jalandhar on Saturday without naming any political party or leader.
“Attack on extremist elements”
Terming the remarks of the Dalai Lama an attack on “extremist elements,” JD(U) leader K.C. Tyagi said the Tibetan spiritual leader had been in India for long and was aware of the Indian culture. “The statement made by him has given a strong and befitting reply to the extremist groups in India. The results of the Bihar polls show that forces of tolerance are not only active but are in majority,” he told PTI.
He pointed out that President Pranab Mukherjee too has flagged the issue of intolerance and the Bihar verdict had proved that “intolerance has been defeated.”
“We have ensured harmony”
Meanwhile, the BJP tried to downplay the remarks saying Bihar had for long seen communal harmony.
“We have ensured that communal harmony in the State is maintained at all costs. We have worked to ensure that any attempt to disrupt the harmony is defeated...we fought the Bihar assembly polls on the agenda of development. We won four States but lost in two. This is part of democracy...the grand alliance had the arithmetics in its favour. But the chemistry favoured us,” party spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters here.
Asked whether the Dalai Lama’s remarks on intolerance should be a matter of concern for the BJP, Mr. Hussain said his statement “should not be misinterpreted.”
Bhagalpur riots recalled
Attacking the Grand Alliance constituents -- Congress, JD(U) and RJD -- over the 1989 Bhagalpur riots, the BJP leader said, “The blame for the riots is on Congress. Lalu Prasad buried the file and Nitish Kumar did not go ahead with the probe. Let us not forget that.”
