Tibetans taking Indian citizenship not the purpose of coming to exile said the ace Tibetan poet/activist Tenzin Tsundue in his interview with the Indian Express recently. In the wake of the assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, the Tsundue responded in the interview that the Tibetans taking Indian citizenship loses the very purpose of coming into exile.
“Where is the need for us to take part in Indian elections? We did not come to India to settle down. We hope to go back to our country. We have been doing well thus far and by taking Indian citizenship, the very purpose of coming into exile is lost.” said the Tibetan poet/activist Tenzin Tsundue was asked for his opinion over the Tibetans taking Indian citizenship.
“We are refugees here, people of a lost country. We are citizens of no nation. We are foreigners born in India. All those obtaining these documents are doing so thinking that their lives will become easier. But I have my Registration Certificate which I renew every year. I travel abroad on my identity certificate and I also have the Green Book given by the Tibetan government-in-exile. My life is equally good without an Indian passport or voter ID.” added Tsundue while he also told that holding on our identity is very crucial and added that it now time to stand up for Tibet as we did not come here to take a citizenship of a foreign country.
Tenzin Tsundue said that there is no need for the Tibetans to take part in the Indian citizenship, we have not come to settle here and we are hoping to go back to our country! Besides he also told that Indian elections are not of significance to him as the Tibetan freedom struggle is the supreme.
“China’s biggest fear is Tibetans. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the key to China’s stability. If Tibetans do something here, Tibetans inside Tibet will get active which could destablise China. We are with Dalai Lama.” told Tenzin Tsundue when asked if asked China is listening to the Tibetan activists.