NEW DELHI: Beijing has blocked thousands of Tibetans from attending a Buddhist event in Bodh Gaya which is being attended by Dalai Lama, according to reports from Nepal and China.
China’s state-run Global Times reported earlier this week that the “renewed” travel restrictions were imposed to battle terrorism and separatism.
However, according to the Tibetan government-in-exile, such travel restrictions have never been imposed by China at least in the recent past.
Chinese government has reportedly begun confiscating passports from Tibetans in Tibet since November 2016.
Nepali media reported that “China has reportedly issued a temporary travel restriction on its citizens visiting Nepal and asked its travel agencies and airlines to cancel all travel plans and bookings made until January 10 with immediate effect”.
Chinese authorities are also said to have instructed the family members of pilgrims to inform them to return to Tibet by January 3 before the Dalai Lama begins his teachings.
Sources quoted a Tibetan pilgrim who chose to remain anonymous as saying that the authorities had taken signatures from their family members to make sure that the pilgrims have been informed and that they must return to Tibet.
“Distance cannot dampen the sacred ties between a lama and a disciple. You can all pray from the far-flung areas in Tibet and I assure you that you will receive the Kalachakra empowerment,” said the Dalai Lama who arrived in Bodhgaya on December 28.
Kalachakra means wheel of time and is used to refer to a complex teaching in Buddhism. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/beijing-bars-tibetans-from-dalai-event-seizes-passports/articleshow/56364985.cms
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