Dharamshala: Addressing a press conference at the Tibetan parliament-in-exile on Friday, Javed Raza, national general secretary of the Janata Dal (Unity) Party and long term Tibet supporter, he said his party fully committed to support for Tibet and Tibetan people. On a two-day visit to the Indian hill station town of Dharamsala, Raza declared that his party had decided to have contact with the Tibetans in Dharamshala and increase his party's concentration on daily political issues rising in Tibet. He added that Janata Dal senior leaders Sharad Yadav and George Fernandes have brought up the Tibetan issue in India’s Parliament several times, and are trying to revive the the All Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet. "The JD leaders Sharad Yadav, George Fernandes and our party have been raising human rights issues of Tibet in Indian Parliament house. They are also now trying to revive the All Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet", said Mr Raza at the press conference.
"The central government should have a re-look at the policy that has been adopting since the first Prime Minister (Pandit Nehru),” he added.
Dolma Gyari, Deputy Speaker of Tibetan exile parliament, requested Mr Raza to revive the organization [All Party Forum for Tibet] in order to understand issues between the parliament in exile and their political parties, and urged them to join for a working group for Tibetan society.
"The Tibetan parliament strongly believes that, India being proactive on the Tibetan issue, [its] support will have a great impact [in helping] to solve the issue of Tibet." Stated Ms. Gyari.
Ms. Dolma Gyari, on behalf of the Tibetan parliament in-exile, has extended a warm welcome to Mr Raza and thanked him for the JD party's strong support for Tibetans over the past few decades. She elaborated on the All Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet, praising its unshakeable relationship with exiled Tibetan communities under the leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in-exile.
The All Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet was initiated by senior Indian leaders, including Madhu Milani and George Fenandes.
Mrs Ngawang Lhamo and Ven.Thupten Phelgye, both standing committee members of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile, also attended the press conference.
Ven Phelgye expressed concern about India's policy on the Tibetan issue, saying, "As you all know, just after we fled from Tibet in 1959, we were struggling to demand independent for Tibet, Now our policy is not about apart from China, we believe in one china policy as it goes. So Indian political leaders should not need to have any more hesitation to support Tibet, because it is within the Indian policy regarding to Tibet issue."
"All Tibetans must re-look on Indian policy toward Tibetan issues, because India always says, ‘Tibet is part of China' (referring to the Tibetan Autonomous Region). As soon as they have platform now, we accept that to be under Chinese leadership as long as they give us a very reasonable proposal," he added.
During his visit to the Tibetan exile community, Raza also met with the leaders of several NGOs, schools and other institutions in the Dharamsala area.
