Ahead of Xi visit, Tibetans put under ‘house arrest’ in Chennai

Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, October 10

Ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s two-day visit, Tibetan students in Chennai have allegedly been put under house arrest-type conditions and their movement has been restricted.

In a press release issued here today, RK Khrimey, national convener, Core Group for Tibetan Cause, said: “India is hosting the second informal summit between the Chinese President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Mamallapuram near Chennai on Friday and Saturday. The summit is being hosted to discuss issues of bilateral, regional and global importance. Tibetan students, who have been living and pursuing studies in the region, have unnecessarily been put under house arrest. The authorities have blocked their movement and questioned their motives and aspirations.”

He said the Constitution guaranteed the right to protest against the injustices prevailing hitherto despite any indulgence of political and social powers. “The right equally applies to Tibetans as well. In over 60 years of our existence in India as refugees, none of the successive Indian governments has ever crushed our voice against the injustices meted out to us by the Chinese Communist Government. Never has our movement been restricted,” he said.

Khrimey said the group strongly condemned such “illicit” show of power and administrative machinery that crushed the common man’s voice against prevailing injustices.

“We urge the Tamil Nadu Government to release students immediately without any pre-conditions,” he added.