DHARAMSHALA - Tibetans living-in-exile in Dharamshala have slammed China for trying to create a controversy over the Dalai Lama’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh.

“People of that land (Tibet) and that state, their heart and mind are with India. So there is no point of China interfering in the affairs and making it a disputed state. Number two, since 1962 bloody war between India and China, China retreated from that state (Arunachal Pradesh) which indicates that was not part of China, it was part of India and since 1962 till today when there was no problem why they want to create such a problem?” said Tenzin Tsondu, a Tibetan activist.

The Dalai Lama began his week-long visit to Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday morning.

Tibetans have urged New Delhi to stand firm on its foreign policy and not bow down to the Chinese pressure.

“It’s crucial for India to stand firmly on its foreign policy and the decision that the Prime Minister has made and not to cave in. The moment we cave in and if we are not able to stand strongly on this decision we would have lost the key point in the very beginning of this heated border problem,” said Lobsang Wangyal, another activist.

The Dalai Lama has defended the visit to Arunachal Pradesh as a mere lecture tour, but it has already drawn heavy criticism from Beijing, coming just two months after he visited self-ruled Taiwan, an island China claims as its own.

The Government of India has stated that the Dalai Lama is visiting Arunachal Pradesh, an integral part of India, in his capacity as a spiritual leader.

India gave refuge to the Dalai Lama and 80,000 of his followers when they fled Tibet across the Himalayas. He then set up a government-in-exile in Dharamshala in 1960. (ANI)