On July 2 or July 6, the Dalai Lama will reveal his mind on his successor. This makes Beijing extremely nervous as the Communist regime fully realises the importance of controlling the next Dalai Lama, points out Claude Arpi.
In the long-running rivalry between the 'Delhi Karmapa' and the 'Chinese Karmapa', the latter seems to have won.
Ogyen Trinley Dorje hopes to get a university education, but will the government allow it? Anand Sankar wonders.
The police on Saturday continued searches at the offices of a trust backed by 17th Karmapa Ugyen Trinley Dorje, who was questioned over the seizure of foreign currency valued at Rs 7 crore.
Indian intelligence agencies are set to question Ugin Thinley Dorjee, the Tibetan spiritual leader known as the 17th Karmapa Lama. Intelligence agencies suspect the Karmapa Lama is allegedly operating as an agent for China in Himachal Pradesh and trying to set up China-friendly Tibetan institutions all along the Himalayan region.
A trust backed by Karmapa Ugyen Trinley Dorje could have amassed benami property and illegally stashed foreign currency worth Rs 20 crore, investigators claimed.
"The huge foreign currency recovered during raids from the Gyuto Monastery, the transit home of the Karmapa, are donations and offerings from devotees and the Karmapa has no links with it as the affairs of the trust are managed by trustees," Chief Secretary Rajwant Sandhu told media persons in Shimla.
Till now, apart from a few statements issued by his office, the young Karmapa Lama has refused to come out of his reserve and comment on the accusations levelled against him, particularly the cash donations received by his monastery but not deposited in a bank, and his relations with India. For the first time, he agrees to speak to Rediff.com, in an exclusive interview to Claude Arpi
The young, extremely bright Karmapa should teach his staff proper accounting ways, advises Claude Arpi
National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon and Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, both former ambassadors to Beijing, prevailed over the dominant view of the Karmapa, Ugyen Trinley Dorjee, being a "pro-China asset in India", reports RS Chauhan
The police on Sunday questioned the Karmapa and also arrested two more persons in connection with the seizure of foreign currency worth over Rs 7.5 crore from the offices of a trust backed by him. The Karmapa denied any Chinese links and said the charges against him were 'grossly speculative and without foundation'. A team of state police officers put nearly 50 questions to Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje at Gyuto Monastery at Sidhbari.
The controversy is a sensitive issue which could have an impact on relations with China and could hurt the feelings and sensitivities of the followers of the Karmapa, say B Raman.
Till now, apart from a few statements issued by his office, the young Karmapa Lama has refused to come out of his reserve and comment on the accusations levelled against him, particularly the cash donations received by his monastery but not deposited in a bank, and his relations with India. For the first time, he agrees to speak to Rediff.com, in an exclusive interview to Claude Arpi
China on Monday denied that the Karmapa, head of the Tibetan Karma Kagyu sect, was its spy, and claimed that allegations against the country in this regard showed India's 'mistrustful attitude' towards Beijing. "The speculation by India's media, regarding the matter of the Karmapa as a Chinese agent or spy, shows that India is maintaining its mistrustful attitude toward China," said Xu Zhitao, an official at the United Front Work Department of the ruling Communist Party.
Headed by Deputy Director (North) V Neerja, the ED team reached the Gyuto Monastery at Sidhbari just before noon and had a marathon question-answer session lasting four hours and 40 minutes.
The Centre is understood to have given a clean chit to Tibetan spiritual leader Karmapa Ugyen Trinely Dorji in the case relating to the huge foreign currency haul from his house, saying the money had come in the form of donations and offerings by devotees.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister P K Dhumal on Saturday said his government cannot give any "clean chit" to Karmapa Ugyen Trinely Dorji, under ED scanner in a foreign currency haul case, as central agencies are probing the matter.
The Himachal Pradesh government on Tuesday said it has not received any information from the Centre regarding any 'clean chit' given to Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorji in connection with the recovery of foreign currency.
Bank accounts of a trust backed by Karmapa Ugyen Trinley Dorje and its trustees have been frozen in connection with the probe into the seizure of a huge amount of foreign currency from a transit home of the Tibetan spiritual leader. "It (freezing of bank accounts) is part of the investigation process as bank accounts were being thoroughly screened for money transactions," Inspector General of Police P L Thakur said on Friday.
The Karmapa, in the eye of a controversy over huge haul of foreign currency from his transit home, on Monday got the backing of the Dalai Lama, who said the issue cropped up due to the carelessness of some of his aides.
The Himachal Pradesh government is now moving to acquire the land of Gyuto Monastery, the transit home of Karmapa Ugyen Trinley Dorje, as the probe into seizure of large amount of foreign currency from the monastery brought fresh focus on benami deals by the community members.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured a Buddhist delegation that he will personally look into the case of recovery of foreign currency to the tune of Rs 7.5 crore from Gyuto Monastery, the transit home of Karmapa Ugyen Trinley Dorje, in Himachal Pradesh.
Karmapa Ugyen Thinley Dorje, head of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, on Monday rubbished allegations that he was a Chinese spy and expressed readiness to make clarification to any government official in this regard.
The 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje last week visited Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as a part of southern Tibet.
A huge amount of foreign currency was seized during raids at a transit home of 17th Karmappa Ugyen Trinley Dorje at Sidhbari near Dharamsala.
'Isn't it in India's long-term interests that Tibet-related issues do not remain a point of discord in Sino-Indian relations?' asks Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
In a relief for Tibetan spiritual leader Ogyen Trinely Dorje, a court in Himachal Pradesh on Monday accepted the plea of the prosecution to drop the conspiracy charge against him in the case relating to recovery of foreign currencies from his monastery in January last year.
The Wire has reported that phone numbers of multiple people close to Dubai Princess Sheikha Latifa, who was captured by Indian soldiers in 2018, were added to a list of potential targets for surveillance.
'The Dalai Lama is in a tearing hurry.' 'The 'reincarnation' card remains unplayed, and time is running out.' 'Is something big being planned for the event of Tibetan Buddhist leaders in Leh in November?' asks Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The earthquake has threatened the existence of one of the seven UNESCO-listed world heritage sites of Kathmandu.
DIG, Magadh Range, Nayyer Hasnain Khan said an identity card was found within the temple premises on Sunday on the basis of which the person was detained.
'The first time that China alleged the Dalai Lama was 'anti-national' and 'unpatriotic' was after he affirmed that Arunachal Pradesh and Tawang are part of India,' points out former RA&W official Jayadeva Ranade.
'China is concerned about its impact within Tibet.'
'While wishing the Tibetan leader a long and healthy life, one can hope for a 'selection' of the Tibetan leader in the Indian Himalayas.' 'It is vital for Tibetan Buddhism, but it is also in India's political interests,' says Claude Arpi.
The Dalai Lama will be in the north eastern state from April 4 to 13 and Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju.
Important for Chinese President Xi Jinping will be Zhao's discussions on the issues of Tibet and the Dalai Lama and his assessment of the likely results of India's coming national elections, notes former senior RA&W officer and China expert Jayadeva Ranade.
She lived for two-thirds of her life in India, adopted its national cause and customs, and took an Indian passport. She served a prison sentence in Lahore as part of Gandhi's protests against an Imperial power which happened to be her motherland. Freda Bedi delighted in confounding accepted definitions of identity.
China's official media on Thursday warned India against using the Dalai Lama "card", saying New Delhi should stop behaving like a "spoilt kid"
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