Indian NGOs felicitate His Holiness for winning US Gold Medal   His Holiness the Dalai Lama with former prime minister of India, IK Gujral, during a felicitation function to celebrate the awarding of US  Congressional Gold Medal to His Holiness (New Delhi, 3 November photo: Tenzin Rigden) Dharamshala, 4 November, TibetNet: The Gandhi Peace Foundation and All Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet organized a felicitation function in New Delhi yesterday, to honour His Holiness the Dalai Lama for receiving the highest US civilian honour, the Congressional Gold Medal. Mr Inder Kumar Gujral, former prime minister of India presided over as the chief guest at the function held at the India Habitat Centre. Representatives of various NGOs and religious traditions were present at the function to felicitate His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In his address, Mr Gujral said the inscription on the Congressional medal presented to the Dalai Lama ''embodies Gandhian principles'' and thanked the US Congress on behalf of the nation for honouring the leader. The former Indian prime minister further said, "All the world recognizes it and His Holiness truly deserved the honour of the Congressional Gold Medal. This medal has a great merit not only because it is presented by US congress but also because it says something which reminds us of the message of father of our nation, Gandhi ji." He said, "When the US Congress presented it to you we felt honored because we thought this was the message which was not only given to you but to the Indian nation as well."   His Holiness the Dalai Lama addressing the felicitation ceremony in New Delhi His Holiness expressed concern over China's "'policy of suppression'' in Tibet," adding, ''genuine harmony should come from the heart and not from the gun''. His Holiness also voiced his concern over the ''demographic aggression'' of the Chinese in Tibet. Chinese authorities are also trying to prevent Tibetan students from taking lessons in Tibetan, saying that learning the language would be of no use, His Holiness said. His Holiness said, ''There is a degeneration of the Tibetan way of life and cultural genocide is on the rise in various institutions and monasteries." ''We in India are being able to practice the Tibetan customs in a better way," His Holiness added. His Holiness said, presently he is following a three-point commitment - promotion of human values of compassion and tolerance, promotion of religious harmony and carrying out his ''moral responsibility'' towards Tibet. ''Historically Tibet is the ''chela'' (student) of India and that he considers himself a ''messenger of India's ancient thought," said His Holiness. ''I also carry the message of secularism. Some people say the word relates to rejection of religion, but I feel in the Indian context it means respect to all religions,'' His Holiness said. His Holiness said, ''Resolution of issue of Tibet is relevant for India-China relationship. I really wish to see a genuine friendship between India and China." Scores of Tibetans sat outside the auditorium to watch the function on a big screen.

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Last updated: 5-Nov-2007