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Kashmir is integral part
of India: Dalai Lama

Rezaul H Laskar in New Delhi

The Dalai Lama on Tuesday sought to end the controversy over his remarks on Jammu and Kashmir, saying he had never questioned the Himalayan state's status an a integral part of India.

Reacting to the debate generated by his proposal for "genuine autonomy" for Kashmir, the Tibetan spiritual leader said the issues of Tibet and Kashmir were not similar as the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India "could not be more different from the forceful occupation of Tibet by the Communist Chinese."

He said his main concern was "putting an end to all the killings that are taking place" in the state.

"I very strongly believe that the issue needs to be resolved through peaceful means, through discussion and dialogue," he said in a statement issued from Dharamshala, the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile.

Earlier in the day, the Indian government reacted to the Dalai Lama's statement in Chennai on Sunday by reiterating that Kashmir was "an integral part" of the country.

"His Holiness the Dalai Lama knows about India's commitment to human rights, to democracy and to our constant pursuit of peace," said external affairs ministry spokeswoman Nirupama Rao.

"This is to categorically state that I have always accepted the fact that Kashmir is an integral part of India," the Dalai Lama said in his statement. "I am also appreciative of the fact that the people of Kashmir elect their government through a well-established democratic process."

Expressing regret at the speculation generated by his comments at a South Asian Peace Conference in Madras on Sunday, the Dalai Lama said he continued to be grateful to India for its "kindness to the Tibetan people."

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