A few weeks ago, in an exceedingly sober and low-key ceremony on account of the pervasive and raging Wuhan Virus, Penpa Tsering was sworn in because the democratically elected Sikyong or the President of the Dharamshala based Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), the Tibetan government in exile.
From the time results of the elections were declared in mid-April 2021 to the swearing-in ceremony on May 27 and even thereafter, messages of felicitations have poured in from parliamentarians across the globe, Tibet support groups, international bodies and institutions. Notably, the US State Department, parliamentarians from EU countries, Canada and from Japan and Australia - 3 of the 4 Quad member countries- and Taiwan`s government minister sent congratulatory messages to the new Sikyong.
However, there was no official media reportage on the election, the swearing-in ceremony, or message of felicitation to the new democratically elected Sikyong from political leaders, officials or organizations affiliated to the Indian government.
The conspicuous silence is evidently in line with the classified directive issued by GOI in a very letter dated Feb 22, 2018, that was circulated to all or any offices within the Central and State governments. The letter imposed restrictions within thesort of an "advisory" to any or all Ministries/Departments of the govt of India additionally as State Governments to not accept any invitation or participate in any function organized or hosted by the CTA.
It was issued on the eve of the then Foreign Secretary`s visit to China citing the explanation to be a "very sensitive time in India-China relations". Speculations on the underlying reasons for the difficulty of the referred letter made by a stunned CTA, Tibetan community in exile and plenty of China/Tibet experts varied. Some believed that it absolutely was a condition to pave the way for Prime Minister Narendra Modi - President Xi Summit in Wuhan that followed in April 2018.
Some said that it had beento steer the Chinese to vary their position on Masood Azhar being listed as a terrorist by the UN. some opined that it absolutely wasto induce China`s nod on India`s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. One assessment suggested that it could are a mere pique at the undisclosed visit of a senior representative from the Grand Lamafounded to China ostensibly as a part of their back-channel negotiations for the resumption of dialogue between the 2 sides.
