No invitation to Dalai Lama for ISC to attend event with PM Modi

The Dalai Lama Office has denied reports published in various sections of the media over the 105th edition of Indian Science Congress in Manipur that the Dalai Lama was supposed to attend this event with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at its inaugural session and the Tibetan spiritual leader was going to skip this event scheduled for 16 March 2018.

Reports added that the Tibetan leader was going to skip this event following the recent instructions issued from the GOI advising senior leaders and government functionaries to not participate in Tibetan events referring to crucial time for India and China relations.

However, the Dalai Lama office has denied any invitation to them from this event organised by ISCA (Indian Science Congress Association).

While talking to TOI on Wednesday, Tenzin Takla, one of the senior-most private secretaries to the Dalai Lama told that they have not received any invitation about this event.

“It is only through the news reports that we came to know about this development. No invitation has been received by this office.There was no communication with us regarding this,” he said.

When contacted the office of the ISCA refused to comment on this. “All the officials are busy at the moment. They don’t have time till 20 March, we can’t comment on this” said the office of Indrani Das, Information officer of the ISCA.

Reports quoted Achyuta Smanta, the general president of ISCA, stating that the Dalai Lama was invited and he would be participating in the inaugural session with the Prime Minister while other two Nobel laureates were supposed to participate during the weekends.

The website of the ISCA also listed the Dalai Lama as one of the Nobel Peace Prize laureates participating in the program with other two Muhammad Yunus and Hiroshi Amano. But later it removed the same on Wednesday.

Tseten Samdup, a representative of the Dalai Lama’s office, added that the spiritual leader was already busy in the Mind and Life conference where about 200 scientists and Buddhist scholars have arrived from across the globe. “It is the 33rd edition of dialogue of scientists with Buddhist scholars started on 12 March, and will conclude on 16th this month,” he said.