Stop solidarity marches for Karmapa, Dhumal tells Tibetans
By IANSThursday, February 3, 2011
DHARAMSALA - Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal Thursday asked Tibetans to stop carrying out marches to express solidarity with the 17th Karmapa, who was questioned by police last week over the recovery of unaccounted currency amounting to nearly Rs.70 million from his monastery.
“I have asked them to stop marches and wait for the outcome of the investigations,” Dhumal told reporters here.
A delegation of Tibetans comprising Tibetan parliament-in-exile’s Deputy Speaker Dolma Gyari and Karmapa’s spokesperson Karma Topden met the chief minister to clarify their stand on the Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje - the spiritual head of the Karma Kagyu School, one of the four sects of Buddhism.
“I have asked them to abide by law and told them such marches might create law and order problem in the state. Why are such marches being taken out when the central and state government agencies are doing their job,” Dhumal said, adding “even the Dalai Lama has asked for an in-depth investigation”.
Thousands of devotees and monks Wednesday took out a peaceful march to express solidarity with their religious leader. The Karmapa later addressed the gathering at the Gyuto Tantric University and Monastery.
Earlier, the Tibetans took out a candlelight procession Sunday evening.
A string of central government agencies is attempting to get to the bottom of the recovery of unaccounted currency that includes 1.1 million Chinese Yuan (Rs.7 million) and over $600,000 (Rs.27.4 million).
A Himachal Pradesh police team twice questioned the Karmapa about the currency recovery. Even the Enforcement Directorate Tuesday scanned documents and questioned functionaries.
Five people, including the Karmapa’s aide Rubgi Chosang, also known as Shakti Lama, are in police custody.
The Karmapa fled Tibet and sought refuge in India in January 2000. Ever since, he has mostly lived at the monastery in Sidhbari near Dharamsala.
