After Delhi, Tibetans keen on hosting event at HPCA stadium in Dharamsala

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, March 7

After shifting of the “Thank You India” event from Delhi to Dharamsala, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) is looking for alternative venues to host the event here.

Sources said the CTA had requested the HPCA to allow it to hold the event at the stadium.Dharamsala has a few open places where a big event could be held. The other two places include the police grounds.

The sources said after the advisory from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the HPCA as well as government organisations were wary of lending space for organising the event.

President of the HPCA and BJP MP from Hamirpur Anurag Thakur admitted that a request had been received from the CTA for the event at the cricket stadium. “We have never given the cricket ground for such event. The decision will be taken by the Board of Directors of the HPCA,” he said.

The CTA authorities remained tightlipped over the developments and are not issuing any official statement.

The “Thank You India” programme was to be organised at Raj Ghat in Delhi and was to be attended by the Dalai Lama to mark his 60 years in exile. The programme was being organised by the CTA.

The sources said the CTA had invited many senior leaders of the BJP, including LK Advani and BJP MP from Kangra and former CM Shanta Kumar. However, after an advisory from the Secretary, foreign affairs, who opined that the programme would be detrimental to the Indo-Chinese relations, the CTA cancelled it in Delhi. However, since the advisory has also been sent to states, the programme is likely to be low key affairs.

China on mind...

• The “Thank You India” programme was to be organised at Raj Ghat in Delhi and was to be attended by the Dalai Lama to mark his 60 years in exile
• The CTA had invited many senior leaders of the BJP, including LK Advani and BJP MP from Kangra and former CM Shanta Kumar
• After an advisory from the Secretary, foreign affairs, who opined that the programme would be detrimental to the Indo-Chinese relations, the CTA cancelled it in Delhi