New Delhi, October 13: Two Tibet activists are on 36-hour hunger strike to protest against China’s “Measures for the Reincarnation of Living Buddhas” which was put into effect last month despite protests from worldwide Tibetan Buddhists and supporters.

Lobsang Shastri and Shibayan Raha both members of Friends of Tibet, began hunger strike at 9:00am today at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi to protest China’s State Administration of Religious Affairs' regulation, which makes it mandatory for Tibetan religious leaders to obtain prior approval from Communist Chinese authorities before declaring reincarnations of 'living Buddhas'. The regulation called Order No. 5 was put into effect on September 1.

Tibetan Buddhists condemn the regulation as inconsistent with the ancient Buddhist traditional practice, hence are demanding the Communist Chinese state for immediate withdrawal of the order.

China’s new order has been seen as a move to weaken Buddhism’s influence in Tibet.

As part of the campaign, the two activists are also demanding Indian authorities to release Tibetan activists currently detained in Tihar Jail for peacefully protesting at the Chinese Embassy on Wednesday.

On October 10, some 30 Tibetan Youth Congress activists stormed into the New Delhi Chinese Embassy compound and staged protest demonstration and painted Free Tibet on the Embassy walls and gate before they were arrested by Indian police.

In April this year, Shibayan Raha from Kolkata with Migmar Tsering, a Delhi based Tibetan, were arrested by police while attempting to storm into the Chanakyapuri Chinese Embassy in their effort to demand release of Gendhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama.