US ambassador Richard Verma

Dalai Lama

NEW DELHI/DHARAMSHALA: The Dalai Lama 's scheduled visit to Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang in March next year remains on course with the religious leader accepting an invitation from chief minister Pema Khandu The visit was announced earlier this month but remained subject of discussion in the light of recent strains in India-China relations. Beijing had also objected to the visit ofto the north-eastern state, saying America should not get involved in an India-China territorial dispute.Asked about the Dalai Lama 's visit, external affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said the Buddhist leader was a "guest of India" and was free to travel across the country. "Theis a revered spiritual figure... He has a sizeable following among Buddhists in Arunachal Pradesh, who would like to seek his blessings. He has visited the state in the past as well and we see nothing unusual if he visits again," Swarup said.The inner line permits remain in operation in Arunachal and the Dalai Lama's visit requires certain formalities apart from being vetted by the political authority.While the Tibetan government in exile did not comment, the Dalai Lama's spokesperson Tenzin Takla said, "His Holiness has accepted the invitation from the CM and people of Arunachal Pradesh. He would be visiting in the latter half of March." Asked about Chinese reactions to the visit, Takla said he had nothing to add.Though the Dalai Lama has been to Arunchal Pradesh before, his visit, like that of the US ambassador, seems to suggest that India is not backing off despite China's terse warning that US actions "damage the hard earned peace and tranquillity of the China-India border region".Tawang holds special significance in the Buddhist-Tibetan tradition as the Dalai Lama had reached here when he fled Tibet in 1959 to escape arrest at the hands of Chinese troops. The monastery at Tawang is one of the biggest in Asia and its affairs have been run in accordance with the Dalai Lama’s instructions since 70s. Tibetan activists supported the visit. “The Dalai Lama must visit Arunachal. He has so many followers there,” said Lobsang Wangyal, the director of Miss Tibet Pageant.