Dharamshala, India — President of Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) Dr Lobsang Sangay on Monday congratulated Venkaiah Naidu on his election as the 13th Vice-President of India and expressed confidence that Naidu will act as an important determinant of India’s democratic functioning to address appropriate checks and balance.
Mr Naidu was elected the 13th Vice-President of India after securing over two-thirds of votes, leaving Opposition candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi far behind.
“I on behalf of the Central Tibetan Administration heartily congratulate you for being elected as the new Vice President of India,” President Dr Lobsang Sangay said, according to the CTA's official website.
“The vice president of India is also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Therefore, your role is significant because the Rajya Sabha is increasingly asserting its authority in law-making particularly in the last three years of Indian politics,” the President added.
“As a veteran politician with longstanding experience of public life, I am confident that you will act as an important determinant of India’s democratic functioning to address appropriate checks and balance, and set a benchmark for non-partisan conduct, adding prestige to the constitutional role of Vice President,” he added.
“We wish you the very best in your new role as the vice-president of India and trust that you will use your good offices to sustain India’s long standing support for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan people and to aimicably resolve the issue of Tibet through the Middle Way Approach,” President Dr Sangay said.
Speaker of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile Khenpo Sonam Tenphel wrote to Shri Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu, the Vice-President elect of India to convey his congratulations on behalf of all the Tibetans.
In the letter, Ven Tenphel wrote,”Since the occupation of Tibet by the Communist China in 1959, India, not only welcomed us but also offered displaced Tibetans, with every facility to lead a better life, especially education through establishment of Tibetan residential schools based on the principles of Tibetan culture.”
As the 14th Dalai Lama always says, “India and Tibet shares a guru-chela relationship”, for one of Tibet’s indispensable wealth is Buddhism from India. The people of Tibet and India have religious and cultural ties from centuries back and we hope India will continue to support the just cause of Tibet.”
“Your Excellency, to resolve every political isues in this 21st century, negotiation is a crucial and an essential mode to lead a peaceful solution for both the countries. Therefore,to resolve the worsening situations inside Tibet, the resumption of dialogue between the Chinese authorities and the Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama is of significance and we hope that it would eventuate under your leadership.”
He wished the newly Vice-President elect of India with “blessings, wisdom and compassion to lead India towards more success and prosperity.”
Naidu, 68, a Minister in the NDA government and earlier in the one led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, defeated the combined opposition candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi by 272 votes. The 68-year-old BJP leader from Andhra Pradesh got 516 votes out of the total 771 votes cast, while Gandhi could bag only 244 votes. Of the total 771 votes polled, 11 were found to be invalid.
