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Baldev S Chauhan in Simla
Tibetan refugees have expressed dismay at an attack on the Dalai Lama's vehicle in Jammu & Kashmir and urged the government to probe the matter.
Yeshi Phensok, president of the National Democratic Party of Tibet, said the Tibetan community was upset at the government's "indifference and inaction" at the incident.
The Dalai Lama's vehicle was stoned in the Jammu region earlier this week while he was travelling through the state en route to Dharamsala in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh.
Reports from Kashmir said the Tibetan spiritual leader's car was stoned after protestors mistook it for the vehicle of a state minister.
The people had gathered to protest against the massacre of 15 shepherds by militants in Doda district.
"We are shocked to see that the Indian government, which created so much fuss on the Dalai Lama's statement on Kashmir, is in no way bothered to even inquire into the circumstances that led to this incident in which he allegedly became the target of the Bajrang Dal's fury," Phensok told reporters.
He was referring to a controversy over the Dalai Lama's reported assertion at a conference in Madras that the Kashmir issue should be settled in keeping with the people's wishes. The Dalai Lama later clarified that he had never questioned Kashmir's status as an integral part of India.
Phensok demanded a high-level probe into the incident. He said the Tibetans were hurt by the fact that the government was maintaining a "baffling silence" despite the fact that this was the first time the Dalai Lama had been attacked in such a manner in India.
He also expressed surprise that the attack had occurred despite the Dalai Lama having the highest 'Z-plus' category of security.
Phensok said he was also puzzled that the Dalai Lama's security personnel had chosen to travel to Dharamsala via Kashmir even though the Jammu region was under curfew at the time.
Indo-Asian News Service
EARLIER REPORTS: Govt miffed by Dalai Lama's statement on J&K Emissary denies Dalai Lama called for self-rule India seeks full report on Dalai Lama's statement
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