Dharamshala :- A delegation of Tibetan MP's met with political leaders in Sikkim, India's northeast state on May 8, 2013, as part of the 'All India Lobby Campaign' of the Tibetan parliament in exile, aimed at spreading awareness about the series of recent self immolations that have engulfed Tibet among the Indian public.
Sikkim is also a state with strategic and symbolic importance as it shares its borders with Tibet.
The delegation, led by former speaker Pema Jungney met with Shri K T Gyaltsen, the speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Sikkim, Shri N K Pradhan, Minister for Education and Shri Sonam Gyatso, the Minister for Power among others.
Since 2009, at-least 117 people of all backgrounds have set themselves on fire in Tibet, protesting the repressions of the Chinese government and calling for the safe return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to his homeland.
In 2013, the Tibetan parliament in exile initiated an 'All India Campaign' to highlight the severe crisis inside Tibet and to garner support from Indian leaders for the Tibetan cause.
Shri P D Rai, a Lok Sabha MP of the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) assured the delegation of party support for the passing of a resolution in the Indian Parliament regarding the 'Tibet Crisis'.
Tibetan delegations have already visited the Indian states of West Bengal, Odisha, Chattisgarh and Jharkhand as part of the campaign.
A candlelight vigil was also held by members of the Tibetan Parliament as an expression of support and to honour the memories of those who lost their lives in the self immolations in Gangtok, the Sikkimese Capital.
