The BJP on Wednesday condemned what it called Government of India’s “shameful appeasement” of China over Tibet and demanded that “India must give voice to its concerns, correctly, unequivocally and unambiguously”. In a joint statement issued by party leaders L K Advani, Rajnath Singh and Jaswant Singh, the BJP said: “It is indeed shameful to note that the Government of India, instead of expressing concern against the use of force by the Chinese Government, is adopting a degrading policy of blatant appeasement towards China with scant regard to the country’s national honour and foreign policy independence. Reports suggest that the Government of India has cancelled a proposed call by the Vice-President of India on His Holiness when he is expected to visit Delhi in the near future. Why is the Government adopting such a nationally humiliating and pusillanimous policy full of indecision at the cost of neglecting the country’s prestige? The BJP condemns this and expects the UPA to candidly explain to the country the rationale behind this policy of irrationality.”The statement said the use of “indiscriminate violence” by the Chinese Armed Forces is a serious development and the global community has begun to voice its apprehension. The party said Tibet is one of the important and last surviving repositories of the great thought and teachings of Lord Buddha, who was born in India and therefore, the country “cannot and must not disconnect with this invaluable and indeed unique spiritual linkage”.
