In recent bizarre news, a video has surfaced of the Dalai Lama kissing a young boy and asking him if he could suck his tongue.
The viral video has been met with online discourse, with many criticising the Dalai Lama for the inappropriate act.
The Dalai Lama has since taken to Twitter to apologise.
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What Exactly Happened
The Dalai Lama met the boy at an event in McLeod Ganj, a suburb of Dharamshala, India, on 28 February.
The video captured the boy leaning forward to pay his respects and asking the 87-year-old Dalai Lama for a hug, after which he kissed him on the lips.
He later asked the boy, “Can you suck my tongue?”
After the video went viral on social media platforms, the Dalai Lama released a statement on Twitter apologising for the incident.
The statement mentioned that he “often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way” regardless of whether it is on or off camera.
He apologised to the boy, his family, and those he may have angered with his actions.
Online Backlash
Even after his apology, many found his actions outrageous and felt that the apology was insincere.
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The replies to his Twitter post were filled with verified accounts criticising him for the incident and calling it unacceptable.
Some thought his apology made no sense, as what he did in the video was not something to be taken in a lighthearted manner.
Others expressed disgust, stating that children should be kept from people like him.
Some set the record straight and said that this was not how grown adults should act around children.
More About the Dalai Lama
The 14th Dalai Lama, whose birth name is Lhamo Thondup, was born in 1935 and has been the central figure of Tibetan Buddhism since he was enthroned at age four in 1940.
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The Dalai Lama’s role is to spread Buddhism’s principles and fight for Tibetans’ rights.
Tibet and China have maintained tensions since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.
In 1959, an uprising occurred in Tibet, resulting in thousands of deaths due to Chinese resistance. The Dalai Lama sought refuge in India, with about 80,000 Tibetans following him.
The Dalai Lama has worked to maintain peace between Tibet and China, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.
His Other Controversies
In 2019, the Dalai Lama received flak for making a misogynistic comment regarding his reincarnation.
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In a BBC interview, he said that if his reincarnation were to be a woman, she must be attractive.
A statement released with his apology said that the Dalai Lama fervently supports gender equality and pushes for women’s rights.
He said that the response was inspired by a conversation he had with an editor of Vogue magazine in which he said something similar as he was speaking to someone who was involved in the high fashion industry.
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