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A Tibetan leader is defending the Dalai Lama, days after the holy leaderissued an apology for asking a boy to “suck his tongue"during an appearance in India earlier this year.
Penpa Tsering, the political leader of Tibet’s government-in-exile, told reporters on Thursday, that the Dalai Lama’s acts were “unfairly labeled,” and that the incident has been misinterpreted,according to Reuters.
Tsering said that the spiritual leader, 87, displayed “innocent grandfatherly affectionate demeanor,' per the news agency.
“His holiness has always lived in sanctity, (following the life of) a Buddhist monk, including celibacy,” Tsering continued, per CNN. “His years of spiritual practice havegone beyond sensorial pleasures.”
At a February event in Dharamshala, the Nobel prize laureate asked a young boy for a hug, according to theAssociated PressandCNN.
Video from the event, which recirculated earlier this month, shows the Dalai Lama gesturing to his cheek before the boy gives him a quick hug and kiss. He then asks the boy to kiss him on the lips, and pulls the boy’s chin toward him as he sticks out his lips.
After the kiss, the Dalai Lama suggests the boy “suck my tongue,” leading to a few chuckles from the crowd. He then sticks his tongue out and leans toward the boy, who presses his forehead against the Dalai Lama’s.
The video has been viewed more than 1 million times on Twitter, per Reuters.
On Monday, the Dalai Lamaapologized for his actions.
“His Holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras,” the statement continued. “He regrets the incident.”
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On Thursday, Tsering claimed that investigations suggested “pro-Chinese sources” were related to why the video surfaced on social media, saying “the political angle of this incident cannot be ignored, per Reuters.
CNN reported that he did not provide any evidence to support the claim.
The Dalai Lama has been living in Dharamshala since 1959 after fleeing Tibet following its unsuccessful uprising against China, according to CNN.
In 2019, the Tibetan spiritual leader apologized after suggesting a female Dalai Lama should be “attractive,” according to the BBC and CNN. The previous year, he was also criticized for suggesting Europe should be for Europeans only while discussing the subject of African refugees, per CNN.
source: people.com
