Sikkim asks New Delhi to let Karmapa visit Rumtek or set a date

Sikkim asks New Delhi to let Karmapa visit Rumtek or set a date - TibetanReview

NOVEMBER 27, 2015

The 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje.

(TibetanReview.net, Nov27, 2015) – Chief Minister Pawan Chamling of Sikkim has asked India’s Home Minister Mr Rajnath Singh to allow the 17^th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje to visit his Rumtek Monastery located in the state, saying his large numbers of followers wanted to see him take his seat there, reported dnaindia.com Nov 2. Rumtek is the principal seat in exile of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism headed by the Karmapa.

The report said the request was made the week before, although the Home Minister’s response, if any, remains unknown.

Ogyen Trinley Dorje was born in Tibet and recognized as the reincarnation of the 16^th Karmapa who had built Rumtek after escaping from Chinese ruled Tibet and passed away in the USA. The circumstance of his recognition remains a bit murky. However, Tai Situ Rinpoche, one of the four regents of the previous Karmapa, fully supported him. His recognition was endorsed by Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and he was duly enthroned in his principal seat of Tsurphu Monastery in Tibet.

Chief Minister Pawan Chamling of Sikkim.
 (Photo courtesy: indiatvnews.com)

Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje fled Chinese ruled Tibet in Dec 1999, citing lack of religious freedom. He arrived in Dharamsala in Jan 2000 where he has remained ever since. India has restricted his movements and disallows him from visiting Rumtek despite repeated pleas from his large numbers of followers in Sikkim.

India is said to be suspicious about the circumstance of his escape from Chinese ruled Tibet and also concerned about disturbance to social order in view of the existence of another 17^th Karmapa-claimant, namely New Delhi-based Thaye Dorje, also said to have been born in Tibet, supported by the late Shamar Rinpoche, another regent of the previous Karmapa.

Chief Minister Chamling, leader of the Sikkim Democratic Front party, was reported to have asked New Delhi to specify a time frame by which Ogyen Trinley Dorje will be allowed to visit Rumtek even if it disallows a visit now. Sikkim’s MP to the Indian parliament, Mr PD Rai, has also demanded a decision on the date issue, saying the cooling off period of so many years should be enough for India’s intelligence agencies, seen as the main objectors, to decide the issue.

A separate request has also been made to the Narendra Modi government, the report added.

http://www.tibetanreview.net/sikkim-asks-new-delhi-to-let-karmapa-visit-rumtek-or-set-a-date/

Sikkim government's request puts Centre in a bind - DNA India
Thursday, 26 November 2015 - 6:50am IST | Place: New Delhi | Agency: dna | From the print edition

Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling requested union home minister Rajnath Singh last week to allow the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa visit the monastery as large numbers of Sikkimese followers want to see him Rumtek which is the main seat of Karma Kagyu or Black Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism having over 700 monasteries worldwide.

 

 The Sikkim government request to allow Ogyen Trinley Dorje, one of the two claimants to be Karmapa of the Kagyu sect of Buddhism, to visit the Rumtek monastery has put the Centre in a bind.

Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling requested union home minister Rajnath Singh last week to allow the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa visit the monastery as large numbers of Sikkimese followers want to see him Rumtek which is the main seat of Karma Kagyu or Black Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism having over 700 monasteries worldwide.

The Centre has maintained consistently that the 30-year-old Karmapa's activities are connected to Chinese shenanigans since his arrival in India in 2000. Intelligence agencies have been watchful of Ogyen whom they refer to as Ugyen Trinley Dorje or "UTD" in secret files and believe Beijing anointed him to serve its long term ulterior motive of changing the mindset of Buddhist population in favour of China.

The intelligence agencies have also routinely reported on activities UTD for encouraging "China-friendly" religious institutions in the Himalayan region.

The conspiracy theory gained a lot of currency in 2011, when Enforcement Directorate raided several premises of Ogyen in Himachal Pradesh and booked his associates for with holding foreign currencies.

The then NSA Shiv Shankar Menon had to step in himself to contain the growing tirade against Ogyen.

Despite this, many in government, especially those in the security establishment, are still wary of Ogyen and believe that allowing Karmapa to visit Rumtek would give legitimacy to one claimant, sources said.

The Kagyu sect has two claimants as Karmapa - Ogyen Trinley Dorje who lives in Himachal Pradesh and Delhi based Trinley Thaye Dorje. Both were born in Tibet and anointed by two different senior monks and said to have escaped from Tibet due to pressure of Chinese authorities. Both have their own websites and claim that they are the real 17th Gyalwang Karmapa.

Claiming that Ogyen was anointed by Beijing, India tacitly backs Delhi-based Thaye as the religious leader. But the undisputed and topmost leader of Tibetans, Dalai Lamarecognises Ogyen Trinley Dorje as the Karmapa.

Understanding Centre's dilemma, Chamling has given it the ropeway that even if the government disallows the monk to visit the monastery now, it should specify a time frame by which a should be made. His party, the Sikkim Democratic Front has maintained that a large number of Sikkimese believe Ogyen Trinley Dorje is the Karmapa.

Sikkim MP, PD Rai also said that the cooling off period of so many years should be enough for intelligence agencies to decide and at least a date should be given now to allow him to visit Rumtek. A written request has also been made to the Narendra Modi government.

Cooling off period
Sikkim MP, PD Rai also said that the cooling off period of so many years should be enough for intelligence agencies to decide and at least a date should be given now to allow him to visit Rumtek. A written request has also been made to the Narendra Modi government.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-sikkim-government-s-request-puts-centre-in-a-bind-2148940

Sikkim government urges Centre to allow 17th Karmapa to visit Rumtek monastery - Tibet Express

 
DHARAMSALA, Nov 26: The government of Sikkim has requested the Central government to allow His Eminence the 17th Karmapa Ugyen Thrinley Dorjee to visit Rumtek monastery, the main seat of Karma Kagyu or Black hat school of Tibetan Buddhism in India.

Photo by: Indrjit Das,
licensed under Creative Commons Attribution.

Sikkim Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling made the request last week during his meetings with Prime Minister Modi and Minister of Home Affairs, Rajnath Singh, citing large number of Sikkimese followers who have been fondly waiting to their spiritual leader’s audience and blessings.

Prime Minister Modi gave positive assurances of favourably considering the demand requiring quick resolution for which the Chief Minister thanked the Honorable Prime Minister, according to a Voice of Sikkim report.

Responding to the request, Union Minister Rajnath Singh agreed that there is no ‘in-principle’ impediment to allow the Buddhist leader to visit Sikkim and expressed hope that the issue is going to be resolved, VOS said in an earlier report.

The Chief Minister of Sikkim, Shri Pawan Chamling meeting the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on November 19, 2015.

Despite numerous requests, the Central government has not allowed the 30-yr-old Tibetan Buddhist leader to visit Rumtek since his arrival in India in 2000. Especially, those in the security establishment have been watchful of the 17th Karmapa and have held reservations over his visit to Rumtek.

“Intelligence agencies have been watchful of Ogyen whom they refer to as Ugyen Trinley Dorje or “UTD” in secret files and believe Beijing anointed him to serve its long term ulterior motive of changing the mindset of Buddhist population in favour of China,” DNA news agency said in a report today.

Because there are two claimants as the reincarnation of the 16th Karmapa, Ugyen Trinley Dorjee who resides in Dharamsala and Delhi-based Trinley Thaye Dorjee, the Centre finds itself in a dilemma as allowing anyone of them would be seen as giving legitimacy to one claimant.

The Chief Minister of Sikkim, Shri Pawan Chamling calling on the Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh, in New Delhi on November 17, 2015.

Since Chamling’s party, Sikkim Democratic Party maintains that large number of Sikkimese believe Ugyen Trinley Dorje, who was recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, as the true Karmapa, he has demanded the Centre to specify a time frame by which the Tibetan Buddhist leader should be allowed to visit the monastery even if it disallows the visit for now.

Stating that a written request has been made to the Narendra Modi government, DNA quoted Sikkim MP, PD Rai as echoing similar sentiment.

“The cooling off period of so many years should be enough for intelligence agencies to decide and at least a date should be given now to allow him to visit Rumtek,” MP PD Rai has said.

http://tibetexpress.net/news/sikkim-government-urges-centre-to-allow-17th-karmapa-to-visit-rumtek-monastery-2/

(Source: the17thkarmapa.blogspot.tw)