Dalai Lama's Indian citizenship in next Par session

Varanasi, Dec 19: Claiming that ten major political parties of thecountry are all for honarary Indian citizenship to Nobel laureate theDalai Lama, the Maha Bodhi Society of India (MBSI) today said the issueis likely to be raised by MPs during the next session of Parliament.

''Ten major political parties, including the ruling and oppositionparties, have pledged their support for honarary Indian citizenship tothe Buddhist spirilual leaders. A sizeable number of MPs have alsopromised to raise the issue in the next session of Parliament,'' MBSIpresident B K Modi told mediapersons here.

''Tibet has already been recognised as part of China and theGovernment of India now needed to bestow honarary citizenship not onlyto the Dalai Lama, but also to a large number of Tibetans living asrefugees in the country,'' Dr Modi added.

The MBSI, in its last annual general meeting in Kolkata few monthsback, had passed two unanimous resolutions -- demanding honorary Indiancitizenship for the Dalai Lama and okaying a peace mission to resolvethe bloody ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.

''A peace committee comprising spiritual leader Sri Sri RaviShankar and former chief of Security and Exchance Board of India (SEBI)D R Mehta were recently in the island nation, where they held parleyswith various sections to lay foundation of a dialogue process aimed atestablishing peace in Lanka.''

UNI