Dharamshala: - The All-India "Solidarity with Tibet" Lobbying Campaign launched by the Tibetan Parliament in Exile earlier this year concluded Tuesday in Rajasthan state following delegate's meeting with Shri Ashok Gehlot, the honorable Chief Minister of the State.
According to the delegation, the Tibetan parliametarians called upon honorable Chief Minister in Jodhpur city on 15th morning, where he was on a state election campaign trail. Amidst his busy schedule, the delegates called upon Shri Gehlot and offered him a Memento and a Memorandum and urged him for his continuous support for the Tibetan cause. Mr. Gehlot warmly greeted the delegates and expressed his sincere solidarity with the Tibetan people.
Earlier on 12th sept, during their arrival in Jaipur city, the delegates called upon Shri Brij Kishore Sharma, the honorable Education Minister of Rajasthan State and briefed him about the worsening situation in Tibet.
Later the delegates called upon His Majesty Kunwar Jai Singh of Ajairajpura of Jaipur. Kunwar Jai Singh told the delegates that he is a huge admirer of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and that he appreciates Tibetans for their perseverance in carrying the struggle against China despite immense odds. He offered his best wishes for the Tibetan struggle and assured his moral and financial support for the cause.
The following day, a press conference was held at the Press Club of the city where over a score of press fraternity members participated in the briefing. The media reporters took passionate interest in the briefing and covered the Tibet issue the next day.
The delegates also met with the members of Tibet Support Group; Bharat Tibet Sahyog Manch (BTSM) of Jaipur and Jodhpur including Mr. Vikram Singh Rathore and Ms. Resham Bala in the cities. BTSM Jaipur headed by Shri Nirmal Jain offered warm reception to the delegates.
Earlier this week, the delegates' organized a similar press conference and a public meeting at the Circuit House in Gandhinagar, Gujurat before their departure to Rajasthan. ITFS Gujarat led by Prof. G.P. Jyotikar coordinated the events.
The Public Meeting proved major success with over 40 Tibet-supporters including local Buddhists taking active part in the discussion. The participants expressed strong support and solidarity for the Tibetan struggle and offered valuable suggestions on ways to promote Tibetan freedom struggle.
Mr. Jigme Jungney, a member of the Parliamentary delegation, talking about the lobbying campaign said, "while Thanking the Government and people of India for the support and security provided to the Tibetans, we appealed the Indian Government to raise the issue of Tibet with the Chinese Government and pressurize them to stop human rights violation in Tibet and address the concerns of the Tibetan people that is resulting in the spate of self-immolation". "We also stressed on resumption of Sino-Tibetan Dialogue and sending of an independent fact-finding delegation inside Tibet" he added.
"To honor the Tibetan martyrs and to inform the people of India about the on-going crisis in Tibet and the exigency of the crisis, and to garner their support, several Tibetan Parliamentary Delegations have traversed the length and breadth of India to call upon the respective constitutional authorities, political leaders, academicians, think-tanks, celebrities as well as interact with the general citizenry. I am overwhelmed by the immense support and solidarity that we have received during our campaign tour" said Ms. Tsering Youdon, another member of the delegation.
The South-Zone Tibetan Parliamentary Delegation comprising of six members including Mr. Gyari Bhutuk, Ms. Tsering Youdon, Ven. Atuk Tseten, Dr. Bumo Tsering, Mr. Jigme Jungney and Mr. Lobsang Yeshi visited Indian states of Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan during their two-month-long Tibet lobbying campaign.
