OUR CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: Regional Convener of the Core Group for Tibetan Cause-India, Sandesh Meshram, on Tuesday said that the disappearance of Tibet as a neutral buffer fundamentally altered Sino-Indian relations, the impact of which continues to be felt today.
Addressing supporters during his sixth janjagaran cycle yatra, Meshram, in charge of Maharashtra and Goa, said that prior to Tibet's annexation there was no historical instance of Chinese military deployment along the Himalayan frontier, and that the 1962 conflict still casts a long shadow over bilateral ties.
Meshram said his ongoing cycle yatra, which began from Bumla on the Tibet border in Arunachal Pradesh on December 9, will conclude at Shillong in Meghalaya on February 9 next year, covering around 2,604 kilometers across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya. He added that the journey is also a symbolic observance of the Year of Compassion.
Referring to recent developments, he cited the detention of Pema Wangjom Thongdok of Arunachal Pradesh at Shanghai Airport on November 26 this year, and China's continued refusal to recognise Arunachal Pradesh, which it refers to as "Zangnan," as clear indicators of persisting tensions in Sino-Indian relations.
Recalling the long-standing movement, Meshram said that slogans such as "Free Tibet - Save India" and "Tibet ki Azaadi, Bharat ki Suraksha" have resonated since 1959.
He noted that through his previous five janjagaran cycle yatras, he has cycled nearly 25,000 kilometres across more than ten states over multiple years, despite facing health challenges during one of the journeys.
Earlier, the Arunachal Pradesh unit of Himalayan Suraksha Manch accorded a warm welcome to Meshram on his arrival in Itanagar.
The reception was led by HSM Arunachal Pradesh president Tarh Tarak, who is also chairman of the State Food Commission, along with secretary general Nima Sangey, vice-president Kaling Pertin, and other members.
Speaking on the occasion, Tarak lauded Meshram's steadfast commitment to the Tibetan cause and described the cycle yatra as a people's movement rooted in truth, courage, and moral conviction. He wished Meshram success for his onward journey to Tuting via Pasighat and expressed hope that the yatra would further strengthen national awareness on Tibet and India's border security concerns.
In his remarks, Nima Sangey said Meshram's cycling yatras remain a humble yet powerful initiative to sensitise the Indian public about the grave situation prevailing in Tibet.
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