Shimla, April 11- Dalai Lama apologizes after controversial video goes viral
Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has issued an apology after a video of him kissing a child went viral on social media. The video shows the Dalai Lama kissing the child on his lips and then asking him to “suck his tongue”. The incident took place during an audience of followers, as a boy leaned to pay respect to the monk.
In response to the video, the Dalai Lama’s office in Dharmshala issued a statement on behalf of the Tibetan leader. The statement expressed regret for the incident and mentioned that the Dalai Lama often teases people in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras. The statement further said that the Tibetan leader wishes to apologize to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused.
The video sparked angry reactions on social media, with many Twitter users criticizing the Dalai Lama’s conduct. One Twitter user wrote, “This is unbecoming and no one should justify this ill-conduct of @DalaiLama.”
The incident comes just a month after the Dalai Lama named a US-born Mongolian boy as the 10th Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa Rinpoche, the third highest rank in Tibetan Buddhism. This move is likely to irk China, which has been adamant that it will only recognize Buddhist leaders chosen by its own government.
China has accused the Dalai Lama of fomenting separatism in Tibet and does not recognize the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), which represents about 100,000 exiled Tibetans living in around 30 countries including India, the United States, Nepal, and Canada.
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