stated in a speech to the Press Club of Australia that due to a few incidences, people outside of India have a different perception of India’s position than what is really the case. “We are Indian. My birthplace was India. Modi’s coercive measures are not as severe as they are depicted in the world media to be. He does not want to convert Muslims to Hinduism. Some cow vigilantes overreact to certain events, and the government is criticized for this. One of the world’s most tolerant nations, in my opinion, is India. When questioned about India and the “Hindutva thrust,” Penpa Tsering said that there were “so many different kinds of people, so many different religions, and such a diverse culture.”
“There are troublemakers everywhere. You cannot hold the whole community responsible for the actions of a few troublemakers. India, in my opinion, is a highly resilient nation that values variety, Penpa Tsering remarked.
“Do you see any troublemakers from the Muslim or Hindu side?” It was requested of Penpa Tsering. “Both,” he answered. Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar tweeted in response to sharing the video of Penpa Tsering’s speech, “India is the most tolerant country n most diverse country in the world — where every citizen has equal rights.” Penpa Tsering spoke on the India-China problem, saying, “When His Holiness is asked this subject (on the change in India-China dynamics), he used to remark India is usually too cautious when it comes to China. Now I can claim we can delete the word “over” while keeping the word “cautious.” China’s aggressive behavior along India’s border has made India far more powerful. As Tibetans who have coexisted with the Chinese for such a long time, if there is one thing we know it is to stand up for our principles. The Chinese will always treat you like a pony and keep riding you if you don’t stand up for your beliefs or stance.
