Dharamshala: Three lawmakers representing Nepali Congress, the biggest party in the coalition government, and Terai party Madhesi Janadhikar Forum were on a visit to Dharmashala, northern India, the site of Tibetan government in exile and second home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The Nepali delegation was consisted of MPs Harshajit Lama, Lalita Kingring Magar and Om Prakash Yadav, and on Thursday they met Tibetan top officials including Prime Minister Prof Samdong Rinpoche and later joined a dinner hosted by his government. The delegates also visited Tibetan parliament on the following day.
Now the visit has triggered a row with the opposition Maoist party criticizing it violated the "One China" police of Nepal as well as fuelled the support for "Free Tibet" movement.
In June 2009, Six Members of Nepal Parliament paid a visit to Dharamshala and met with the Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other high level officials from the Tibetan government in exile to discuss the issue of about 30,000 Tibetan refugees living in Nepal and their special status. Soon after that, Beijing authorities sought an explanation from the Nepal government, which glossed over the matter by replying that the MPs had not been fully informed about their itinerary.
Due to China's diplomatic pressure on Nepal government, the security over the Tibet-Nepal border is being buffed up and crack down on Tibetan refugees living in Nepal is being stepped up. Early this month, authorities in Nepal arrested at least 10 Tibetan refugees, who arrived in Charikot, the district headquarters of Dolakha in Nepal, without acquiring visas, and three of the arrested were confirmed as women.
