Thaindian News

Dharamsala, Mar 10 (ANI): Samdhong Rinpoche, Tibet’s Prime Minister in exile, on Thursday urged the Dalai Lama to reconsider his decision to step down as their political leader.

“Vast majority of the Tibetan people inside and outside still don’t feel competent to take over and to become independent of Dalai Lama. That is very difficult to think. So, we are still asking his holiness to postpone it,” Rinpoche told reporters here.

“As a guidance or as the supreme leader of temporal and religion both for the entire Tibetan people. The people still continue to request,” he added.

“Since 1960, he is trying to educate and bring up the people (to be) able to manage themselves and now, I think, this is the appropriate time since the political leadership is also begin to elect democratically by the people in diaspora directly, the Kalon Tripa (Prime Minister). So therefore, he is trying to transfer the entire traditional functions and power of the Dalai Lama to elected political leadership,” Rinpoche said.

Addressing his followers to mark the 52nd anniversary of their failed uprising against China, the Dalai Lama has announced his plan to retire as political head of the exiled Tibetan movement, saying that the time had come for his replacement by a “freely elected” leader.

The Dalai Lama, whose more significant role is as the movement’s spiritual leader, said that he would seek an amendment allowing him to resign his political office when the exiled Tibetan parliament meets next week.

“My desire to devolve authority has nothing to do with a wish to shirk responsibility,” he said.

“It is to benefit Tibetans in the long run. It is not because I feel disheartened,” he added.

The Dalai Lama also said that many of his supporters had asked him not to take the step.

“Since I made my intention clear I have received repeated and earnest requests both from within Tibet and outside, to continue to provide political leadership,” he added.(ANI)