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India may not grant asylum to Tibetan lama

NEW DELHI: India may not grant political asylum to a high ranking Tibetan lama who arrived last week from his monastery near Lhasa, the Hindu newspaper reported on Wednesday.

New Delhi, however, was opposed to deporting the 14-year-old Karmapa Lama and could settle for his "de-facto refugee status," the newspaper said in an unsourced report.

China told India on Tuesday to tread carefully over the issue of the lama, and said New Delhi had made clear in the past that Tibet -- whose spiritual leader the Dalai Lama fled to India 40 years ago -- was an inalienable part of China.

The 17th Karmapa Lama, the only senior Tibetan Buddhist leader recognised by both the Dalai Lama and China, arrived in Dharamsala in northern India on January 5 after a week-long trek over the snow-bound Himalayas.

India's foreign ministry said no formal request for asylum for the boy-monk had been received.

The Hindu said the Indian government had discussed Karmapa Lama's sudden arrival at the highest level.

"India for the moment, is said to have decided against granting political asylum to the boy monk," the paper said.

"At the same time, New Delhi, is opposed to his deportation. Consequently, New Delhi may accept the Karmapa's de facto refugee status."

Tibet's government-in-exile, based in Dharamsala, said this week it hoped India would respond favourably if it sought asylum for the boy who, it added, fled Tibet to avoid religious repression and human rights abuses.

Thousands of Tibetans led by the Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959, nine years after China's communist army entered Tibet and overthrew its Buddhist theocracy.-Reuters