Dharamsala, Feb 1: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister P K Dhumal Tuesday said the state government has nothing to do with the issue of seizure of foreign currency from a transit home of the 17th Karmapa Ugyen Trinley Dorje, saying the matter was being investigated by the centre.
“As far as the issue (Karmapa) is concerned, people from the Central Government have come and confiscated the hard disk and other materials. They will let us know the contents after examining them. We cannot say anything now,” PTI quoted Dhuman as telling reporters on the sidelines of the “chief ministers’ conference on internal security” in New Delhi.
The state chief minister was asked to comment on the issue of foreign currency being seized from the transit home of the Karmapa Lama.
Police have so far arrested five Indians, including an employee of the Karmapa administration, in connection with the seizure and raided several places in the state and Delhi.
During questioning, Karmapa had denied any involvement in the speculative allegations raised by Indian media.
Media reports said it was the second time the Tibetan spiritual leader was questioned since the raids began.
Karmapa’s office had also maintained that Karmapa had nothing to do with currency. The office said the money was received by way of offerings and donations from disciples across the world, including China and Tibet.
Mr Dhumal also reportedly asked the Centre to reimburse the expenses being incurred by the state government over the security of the exiled Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Karmapa Lama.
“At present only a small part of the expenditure is being reimbursed by the Ministry of External Affairs in case of the Dalai Lama while the entire expenditure of the security of Karmapa is being borne by the state government,” he said.
Mr Dhumal also reportedly told the chief ministers’ conference on internal security here that he has asked the prime minister to clarify whether the Tibetans were ‘exiles or our guests’.
“The state government will set up Tibetan Refugee Unit (TR Unit) in state intelligence department to effectively monitor activities of 27,542 Tibetan refugees living in the state,” he said, according to a statement from Himachal Bhawan.
Dhumal also said the state government will set up Tibetan Refugge Cell at Dharamshala in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs.
The refugee unit would be set up in consultation with the union ministries of home affairs and external affairs, the official statement said.
An Enforcement Directorate (ED) team on Tuesday reached the Gyuto Tantric Monastic University near Dharamsala where Karmapa Ugyen Thinley Dorje has temporarily been residing since he left Chinese-occupied Tibet and escaped into India 2000.
Police and revenue officials were questioning the Karmapa Lama, and his aides about the source of the huge haul of cash receovered from the monastery.
