By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, July 13: The dipping image of China in the Indian public psyche amid the confrontation at the Indo-Tibetan border has manifested into an online petition to rename a road leading to the Chinese embassy to Dalai Lama marg.
An online petition addressed to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for renaming Panchsheel Marg outside the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi’s Chanakyapuri ‘as the Dalai Lama Marg.’ The petition is initiated by a senior bureaucrat, OP Mishra as a citizen of India. He is currently posted in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep as Secretary.
The petition stated, “We named one of the most important roads in Chanakyapuri to mark the importance of the treaty as Panchsheel Marg. Panchsheel means the five principles which formed the basis of Indo-Sino relationship—mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful co-existence. Sadly, this treaty survived only on paper.”
Panchsheel is the treaty between India and China signed in April 1954 during the reign of then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
“Panchsheel was the basis of the Non-Aligned Movement. But China never had any respect for the treaty, while India made big publicity about the Panchsheel. We continue with a failed Nehruvian legacy, the name of the road, Panchsheel Marg,” said OP Mishra who initiated the online plea.
Twitter circuits also echoed the plea with many saying the act would be a powerful and symbolic message to Beijing who labels the Tibetan spiritual leader as a “separatist”. An Indian netizen tweeted, “Changing the name of Shantipath Road to #DalaiLamaMarg at which Chinese Embassy in New Delhi is located would give more burns and pain than banning #59 Mobile Applications.”
Calls such as these and others calling for Indian leadership to bestow the Dalai Lama with the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award has gathered momentum since the confrontation with China began.
6 Responses
Ultimately Tibet as a buffer state is the only solution to Indo-Sino conflict in future !!!
Yes I would love the phanseel name as Dalai Lama marg🙏
HH The Dalai Lama rightfully deserves Bharat Ratna as a token of unfathomable contributions made by him to the Indian people and the mankind since his arrival in India. We request Modi ji to bestow this award to him on behalf of 130 million citizens of our great country as a token of our love and affection for his innumerable contributions. Simultaneously, Shantipath Marg at Chanakyapuri, New Delhi should also be renamed as DalaiLamaMarg to remember his great contributions to the mankind and now is the right time to bestow Bharat Ratna to him as also to rename Shantipath as DalaiLamaMarg and we have great faith in Modi ji to fulfill both these expectations of the Indian masses as well as his supporters.
A small token to drove a miniature thorn into the Chinese Government ego.
How is Google maps drawing the disputed boundaries these days? And is it location specific? How is Baidu drawing those boundaries? Many years ago their was a petition to name a sewage treatment facility after a politician as well.
Tibet for Tibetan