Thaindian News

New Delhi, May 2 (IANS) Coming on record for the first time after foreign and Indian currency worth millions was seized from his monastery three months ago, the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, Monday said he was not a Chinese spy and the money was donated by devotees.

“I am not a Chinese spy, agent or plant in India,” Dorje said in a press meet here. He was speaking in Tibetan, which was translated by his aide.

“There have been several media reports about the institution of Karmapa. I did not respond to them then because I did not want unnecessary public controversy while the investigation was in a critical stage. But now, I want to make it clear that I am very grateful to the Indian people for their hospitality and I would never do anything against the interest of the country,” he added.

According to the Karmapa’s aide, Rs.5 crore worth of foreign currency and Rs.1 crore of Indian currency was recovered Jan 28 from the premises of the Gyuto Tantric University and Monastery that the Karmapa heads near Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh.

“All the money recovered were donations from our devotees. We had requested for the government’s permission to convert it to Indian currency to use it, but somehow it did not happen,” his aide said.

Dorje, however, admitted that there may have been lack of “professionalism” in handling of finances on part of his aides.

“But I rule out that this happened because of any internal conflict,” he said.

“The Dalai Lama is the sole head of all Tibetan schools and tradition. He is the force behind all Tibetan cause. All these accusations have been very hurtful because as a Tibetan, by birth and identity, who has the confidence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, there can’t be a bigger blasphemy,” Dorje said.

The Karmapa is the spiritual head of the Karma Kagyu School, one of the four sects of Buddhism. He is considered the third most important Tibetan religious head after the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama.

The Karmapa fled Tibet and sought refuge in India in January 2000. Ever since, he has mostly lived in the Gyuto Tantric monastery in Sidhbari near Dharamsala - the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile.