The Dalai Lama has apologised soon after an unsettling video clip appeared on social media in which he kissed a young Indian boy on the lips ahead of inquiring him to ‘suck’ his tongue.
Footage of the unpleasant incident confirmed the moment the Tibetan spiritual leader invited a younger Indian boy on phase all through a charity party held by India’s M3M Foundation at the Dalai Lama’s temple in Dharamshala in February.
In the online video, the boy asks the Dalai Lama ‘can I hug you?’, to which Tenzin Gyatso responds, ok – come!’.
The religious chief initially asks the boy to kiss him on the cheek, before pointing at his lips. He holds the boy’s facial area as they briefly kiss, then the pair push their foreheads collectively.
Just as the boy goes to pull absent, the Dalai Lama instructs him: ‘And suck my tongue’ – prompting the youthful boy to bit by bit inch forward to the 87-year-old’s outstretched tongue.
The Dalai Lama has apologised following a unsettling video appeared on social media in which he kissed a youthful Indian boy on the lips just before asking him to ‘suck’ his tongue
Some supporters of the Dalai Lama sprang to his defence, saying their leader was merely ‘joking around’
Other people went as significantly as to explain the Dalai Lama as an ‘insidious phony prophet’ while 1 consumer named for him to ‘be arrested for paedophilia’
Attendees of the occasion can be listened to laughing as the boy sits awkwardly in front of the aged Tibetan Buddhist chief and nervously follows his orders.
Ahead of allowing the kid go, the Dalai Lama imparted some wisdom, telling him to ‘look to those people fantastic human beings who develop peace, happiness’ and not to ‘follow these human beings who always get rid of other people’.
Some supporters of the Dalai Lama sprang to his defence, saying their chief was just ‘joking around’.
But the clip has sparked outrage on social media, with commentators branding the Dalai Lama’s actions ‘scandalous’, ‘disgusting’ and ‘absolutely sick’.
Many others went as considerably as to explain the Dalai Lama as an ‘insidious fake prophet’ even though 1 person known as for him to ‘be arrested for paedophilia’.
‘Utterly shocked to see this display by the #DalaiLama. In the previous way too, he’s had to apologise for his sexist responses. But stating – Now suck my tongue to a modest boy is disgusting,’ wrote consumer Sangita.
Another poster, Rakhi Tripathi, stated: ‘What did I just see? What that baby have to be sensation? Disgusting.’
In this file image taken on December 29, 2022, Tibetan religious chief Dalai Lama waves throughout his first working day of teaching session at the Kalachakra Ground in Bodhgaya
The business office of the spiritual chief posted a formal statement on social media right now apologising for his actions.
‘His Holiness needs to apologise to the boy and his loved ones, as effectively as his numerous pals across the world, for the harm his terms may perhaps have caused,’ the statement read.
‘His Holiness often teases the people today he fulfills in an harmless and playful way, even in general public and before cameras,’ it included.
‘He regrets the incident.’
The Dalai Lama stays the universally recognised experience of the movement for Tibetan autonomy.
But the global spotlight he savored immediately after winning the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize has dimmed and the deluge of invites to hobnob with earth leaders and Hollywood stars has slowed, partly because the ageing leader has slice back again on his punishing travel routine, but also thanks to China’s increasing economic and political clout.
Beijing accuses him of wanting to break up China, and has referred to him as a ‘wolf in a monk’s robe’.
The Dalai Lama was pressured to apologise in 2019 for declaring that any female who succeeded him ‘should be additional attractive’
Just weeks in the past, the non secular chief courted much more controversy when he named an eight-calendar year-outdated boy with joint US and Mongolian nationality as the reincarnation of the 3rd most critical religious chief in Tibetan Buddhism
In 2019, the Dalai Lama apologised for expressing that if his successor were being to be a lady, she would have to be ‘more attractive’.
He was ‘deeply sorry’ and ‘genuinely meant no offence’ just after his remark sparked a worldwide backlash.
The monk’s place of work reported his ‘off the cuff remarks’ had ‘lost their humour in translation’, insisting he was a sturdy supporter of women’s rights.
The comments, which ended up criticised all-around the earth, were designed in an interview with the BBC.
Then just months back, the spiritual leader courted additional controversy when he named an eight-year-previous boy with joint US and Mongolian nationality as the reincarnation of the 3rd most critical non secular leader in Tibetan Buddhism.
The official title of the baby, who is reported to have a twin, is the tenth Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa Rinpoché – the 3rd most important non secular chief in Tibetan Buddhism and the faith’s chief in Mongolia, according to The Times.
Rumours about the boy’s identification experienced swirled close to the spiritual local community for several years, but his existence has only now been verified with his public look in India, wherever the Dalai Lama lives in exile.
The unveiling sparked fury in China, which previously mentioned it will only recognise Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leaders their unique governing administration-approved appointees have preferred.
