China’s irritation with the Dalai Lama’s “activities” in India on Friday injected a somewhat discordant note in President Pratibha Patil’s confabulations here although she has carefully avoided touching upon any contentious issues.
Jia Qinglin, chairman of the Chinese people’s political consultative conference (CPPCC), who is ranked fourth in the Chinese leadership hierarchy, raised the issue of Tibet and “activities” of the Dalai Lama during his meeting with Ms Patil, a day after her discussions with President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao at which no such issue was raised. The 70-year-old Jia, who presides over the 2196-strong CPPCC, regarded as China’s top political advisory body, described the Dalai Lama as more of a political leader than a spiritual figure. Ms Patil had called the Dalai Lama as a spiritual leader who stays in India, according to highly placed sources.
On Tibet, Ms Patil is believed to have told Ms Jia that India regards Tibet Autonomous Region as a part of China and it does not allow any anti-China activities by Tibetans based in India. The President is believed to have cited the example of the passage of the Olympic torch through India ahead of the Beijing Olympics two years ago when the government had taken steps to ensure that nothing untoward happened.
However, officials, downplayed raising of these issues by the Chinese side as “nothing new”, adding “we keep talking about it.”
Later, at her first public speech during her six-day state visit, Ms Patil sent a subtle but clear message to this country’s leadership saying “mutual understanding of each other’s sensitivities” held the key to “deeper and sturdier friendship” between the two Asian giants. She spoke of the “time-tested” Sino-India friendship “forged in the crucibles of civilisation”. She saw growing scope for cooperation between the two countries. “Mutual awareness about each other and mutual understanding of each other’s sensitivities, will hold key to deeper friendship,” she said. —PTI