Tibet govt-in-exile defends Dalai Lama’s “innocent grandfatherly affectionate demeanor”, accuses “pro-Chinese sources” for viral video
Penpa Tsering, the Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration, has defended the Dalai Lama against allegations of impropriety stemming from a viral video showing him kissing a young boy on the lips and asking him to “suck his tongue”.
Tsering claimed that the clip had been “tailored” and misinterpreted, and that the spiritual leader had been unfairly labelled with hurtful names.
The incident took place in late February at the Dalai Lama’s temple in Dharamshala, India, where he met with over 100 young students who had just graduated from the Indian M3M Foundation.
The viral video has drawn criticism from many people who consider the behavior to be inappropriate and contradictory to the Dalai Lama’s image as a revered spiritual leader.