Exiled Tibetans marchers reach Uttar Pradesh

Moradabad, Apr 30 : Exiled Tibetans, who are on their return march to Tibet, reached Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, on Tuesday.

The marchers had resumed their peaceful march to Tibet on April 19 from New Delhi.

After the successful conduct of the Olympic torch relay in New Delhi on April 17, they set out on foot towards Tibet to support their brethren facing alleged oppression under the Chinese regime.

Holding placards with captions like 'March to Tibet', the marchers stopped over for a brief halt at Moradabad.

The marchers said they were following the path of non-violence and peace propagated by Mahatma Gandhi and Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama.

"India is a free country today due to the efforts of Mahatma Gandhi. People all around the world know about him and his contributions. We follow the ideology propagated by him, which is what our revered Dalai Lama also preaches. That is to follow a path of non-violence and peace," said Sherab, a marcher.

After more than a month of protests that began soon after the March 10 Chinese crackdown on protestors in Lhasa and nearby provinces, the 1,00,000 Tibetan diaspora in India is restive over Chinese stranglehold and hegemony over Tibet.

Several members of the Tibetan diaspora are keen to return to their homeland and fight alongside their brethren for the just rights of the populace in the Himalayan region.

The marchers participated in peaceful protests, hunger strikes, candle-light vigils and demonstrations over the past few weeks in the run up to the Beijing Olympics.

The exiles are seeking an end to Chinese repression in Tibet, and have been staging a wave of protests across the country, especially in New Delhi and Dharamsala.

ANI