Dalai Lama's video clip asking a minor to 'suck his tongue' triggers controversy

Buddhist religious leader Dalai Lama has triggered a controversy after a purported video of him asking a child to kiss on his lips before asking the kid to "suck" his tongue surfaced online.

The video, which has now gone viral on the internet, apparently shows the Dalai Lama kissing the boy, who approached him to pay his respect to the religious leader.

"Can you suck my tongue," the Buddhist religious leader is heard asking the minor boy in the viral clip.

However, the video has met with mixed responses from netizens.

"Dalai Lama kissed an Indian boy at a #Dharma event and even tried to tongue kiss the boy who then resisted. At the time, Dalai Lama was salivating. Such a disgusting scene! Context? The link to the full video has been turned private. Inappropriate to say the least," a user criticised Dalai Lama's gesture.

Trigger warning: Pedophilia

Dalai Lama calls up a minor boy, kisses him on lips, asks for a tongue kiss as well. Also, notice where he takes the boy’s hand. This is disgusting and appears to be a case of child molestation.pic.twitter.com/3O8nEabwiK

— Saif (@isaifpatel) April 8, 2023

"The video going around of the Dalai Lama trying to kiss a 7 year old boy has me feeling so sick, nauseous and utterly disgusted. I'm terrified of what this world is coming too," another one said.

However, a user defended the religious leader's behaviour and tweeted, "Dalai Lama did the Maori tradition of New Zealand of rubbing noses and he does that with everyone Adults and Kids alike. The pure mind of a kid kissed him with love and in the rest of video he's just reciprocating that love. A morally corrupt society has made our minds small."

"What they were doing was definitely no molestation. Do you think Dalai Lama if he had to molest a kid he will do infront of cameras in the public," the second one stated.

"The kid asked to hug & kiss him. Dalai Lama has an absurd sense of humor & was mocking the kid for his request. That said, its a child & he was obviously uncomfortable, an apology is due for that. Chinese stooges pushing pedophilia or molestation need their heads examined," the third user added.

However, the religious leader had earlier courted controversy in 2019 after claiming that if a woman, would be succeeding him, then she should be "attractive." "If a female Dalai Lama comes, she should be more attractive," he had said.

Meanwhile, an eight-year-old boy born in the US was named by the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the third most important spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism. The ceremony was held in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh last month, where 87-year-old Dalai Lama lives in exile, reported The Independent.

"We have the reincarnation of Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa Rinpoché of Mongolia with us today," Dalai Lama said during the ceremony. "His predecessors had a close association with the Krishnacharya lineage of Chakrasamvara. One of them established a monastery in Mongolia dedicated to its practice. So, his being here today is quite auspicious," he added.