Dalai Lama presides over special prayers in Himachal Pradesh

Dharamsala, Mar 8 (ANI): Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Sunday presided over special prayers here against the Chinese crackdown in Lhasa.

Hundreds of Tibetan monks and exiles gathered at the Buddhist temple Tsuglagkhang to offer prayers for those killed in Tibet since 1989 during protests and demonstration against China.

"This prayer is being headed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan Buddhist leaders. All the Tibetans gather here on March 8 every year. Many Tibetans have died under Chinese oppression Last year. Many Tibetans have been killed by Chinese, many suffered and many died in the prison," said Sonam, Secretary, Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR), Tibetan Government-in-Exile.

The Dalai Lama said he wanted greater autonomy for the remote region rather than outright independence. (ANI)