Bharat Tibbat Sahyog Manch (BTSM) is one of the newly formed Indian support groups for Tibet, which has completed five successful years now. Spiritual and cultural relationship between India and Tibet exists for thousands of years. Rastrya Swam Sevak Sangh (RSS) has been always advocating independence of Tibet openly. The founder of RSS, Guru Golwalker had said.” Educating and creating awareness of the masses about our collective desire is our duty, so that our leaders may not engage in humiliating negotiation with the aggressor. To accept ceasefire before pushing the enemy from Tibet will be our biggest strategic blunder.” Guru Golwalker always believed that Tibet’s independence is linked with India’s security. Guru Golwalker further said” Today Dalai Lama is with us. Tibetans are still struggling against the Chinese army in Tibet. Independent Tibet is in our favor. We must let Dalai Lama establish his own government in his country and declare independence. We must provide all possible assistants to him to fight for the independence of his country. Without an independent and friendly Tibet, our security exercise in the north is simply futile.” Thus, Guru ji had given a clear direction to the workers about creating mass awareness on the issue of Tibet.
Irrespective of the stand of the government, the people of India have always expressed their opinions from time to time. Public awareness campaign had started in 1950 when communist China entered Tibet. All India Tibet Conference was organized in Calcutta by the effort of Shri Jai Prakash Narayan. Ram Manohar Lohia had warned the Government of India about the impending dangers of the Chinese aggression way back in 1959. Deen Dayal Upadhya and many eminent personalities expressed their opinions in very clear term. Organizations like Indo Tibet Friendship Society have contributed lot in this direction and continues to do so.
Akhil Bharati Vidhyarthi Parishad has included creating awareness on Tibet in their programs. They have been organizing seminars on Tibet also. The question of support to Tibet normally figures in the agenda of Vishva Hindu Parishad. Leaders of RSS have been meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama from time to time to discuss issues on Tibet. Therefore, it was felt necessary to form an organization that will discuss Tibet’s issue from the point of India’s interest and security.
In 1998, Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok, the then President, National Democratic party, invited Shri Indresh Kumar to be the chief guest for their national conference in Dharamsala on 27th September 1998. Shri Indresh Kumar was then the joint coordinator RSS for Himachal Pradesh and Jammu Kashmir and has especially contributed saving Buddhist community from being converted to Muslims in Ladakh region of India. Indresh ji said” Because of social, cultural and religion link between India and Tibet, the problem of Tibet becomes the problem of India. India cannot remain indifferent to the issue of Tibet. So far the issue of Tibet has been raised in certain section of the people and at the government level but effort to reach the masses has been very less. To enable public to understand the situation in Tibet, all efforts must be made at the NGO level and other such forums because they are the most effective. India’s soul is spiritualism; therefore, religious institutions in India must highlight the human rights situation and the plights of religion in Tibet. RSS can make a major contribution in this direction”. On 13-14 March 1999, ABVP organized a national seminar on ‘Tibet-Role of India’ at Dharamsala where His Holiness the Dalai Lama was the Chief guest besides Professor Dhumal Kumar, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Union Food Minister Mr Shanta Kumar and Kalon Tripa of Exile Government, Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche and others were present. Shri Indresh ji discussed the formation of the new organization with Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok, Shri Jamyang Dorjee, Shri Tenzing Phuntsok Atisha, Mr Dawa Tsering, Dr. Chaman lal Gupta, Shri Sunil Manocha and Dr. Kuldeep Chand Agnihotri etc and on 5th May, 1999 Bharat Tibbat Sahyog Manch was formally established. Shri Indresh ji has been requested to be the patron-in-chief,
Bharat Tibbat Sahyog Manch has today 135 branches all over the country. Efforts are being made to make this a national mass movement. Except few Tibetans at the national levels, Indian supporters manage all other branches. In this short span of 5 years BTSM organized major protest rallies, seminars, public processions, personality development camps thus creating a massive public awareness campaigns on the plight of Tibet and Tibetans and the role of India.
BTSM believes that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the best judge for Tibet’s national interest and therefore, as an Indian Tibet support group, BTMS will support the views and the efforts of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his government for a negotiated settlement with China.
Dr. Kuldeep Chand Agnihotri, the present National Coordinator has shifted to Delhi to coordinate the national programs better and conducts program almost every month in one or the other corner of India.
Issued by Dr.Kuldeep Chand Agnihotri, National Coordinator and Jamyang Dorjee, National Secretary, public Relations
Email; jamyangdorjee@yahoo.com
