In a strong message to China’s expansionist endeavors, a group of top Himalayan Buddhist leaders visited Arunachal Pradesh and held a day-long national conference on Nalanda Buddhism Tradition at Gorsam Stupa, Zemithang in Tawang district.
This comes after China’s recent attempt to rename 11 places in Arunchal Pradesh in what is considered as a fresh effort to lay claim on sovereign Indian territory.
The meeting is a clear and unambiguous message to China after its renaming attempt as its quite rare for such top Himalayan Buddhist leaders to come together in such big numbers in the border state.
Around 600 delegates attended the day-long conference along with state chief minister Pema Khandu. The meet is also being seen as an attempt to give a strong push to Himalayan Buddhism.
Zemithang in Arunachal is the last village in India, along the Indo-China border.
Earlier in December 2022, a clash had erupted between Chinese PLA soldiers and Indian forces on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Tawang sector.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh later issued a statement saying that the Chinese troops tried to unilaterally change the status quo on the LAC and the bid was successfully foiled by the Indian forces.
The conference was attended by delegates of revered Rinpoches, Geahes, Khenpos and scholars from all the Himalayan states of Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh (Union Territory), Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir (Paddar-Pangi), Sikkim, North Bengal (Darjeeling, Doors, Jaigaon and Kalimpong), Densa South India Monasteries and 35 delegates from various parts of the Arunachal like Tuting, Mechuka, Taksing and Anini and others.
CM Khandu said the Buddhist culture, which thrives on the peaceful co-existence of every sentient being, should not only be preserved but also propagated.
He said the state has a big chunk of the Buddhist population and "fortunately they have kept their culture and traditions safe with religious fervour".
"The main pillar on which Nalanda Buddhism stands is the principle of reasoning and analysis. This means we can even bring the teachings of Lord Buddha under the ambit of reasoning and analysis. This logic is based on science and perhaps Buddhism is the only religion that gives its followers this liberty," Khandu said.
The chief minister welcomed the delegates and said that Arunachal Pradesh is home to a mix of religious followers.
"Arunachal Pradesh is not home only to Buddhism but to several religions, including those who follow their own indigenous faith. I believe that every religion and faith should flourish and exist peacefully. I am proud that we Arunachalis are doing just that," Khandu said.
He further expressed gratitude to the Indian Himalayan Council of Nalanda Buddhist Tradition (IHCNBT) for organising the one-day national conference on Nalanda Buddhist tradition.
"Zemithang, as you might all know, is the last Indian border through which his holiness the 14th Dalai Lama entered India in 1959. Therefore, holding this conference here is significant," Khandu added.
