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Torch of conscience: Bhaichung Bhutia’s sympathy with Tibetans demands respect

As the world wakes up to the call of letter ‘T’, the letter ‘B’ in India has electrified a fresh worrying factor to the People’s Republic of China. Well, it’s a marriage of between ‘T’ and ‘B’ round the clock, inflaming the headlines of newspapers and most news channels for the last couple of weeks. What is this 'B' factor?

Come, April 17, filmi celebrities Amir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and former 400m runner Milkha Singh and master-bluster Sachin Tendulkar will definitely be part of the Olympic torch relay squads. But the country will miss its biggest soccer superstar Bhaichung Bhutia. But why?

Bhutia’s gesture “of standing by the people of Tibet and their struggle” is nothing; but a straight shot at the right time for the right cause, needs to be appreciated. He is all set not to be part of the Olympic torch relay. His decision to boycott the Olympic torch relay though completely surprised the Indian sports fraternity has walked an extra-mile practising the Biblical version ‘love thy neighbours’ -to sympathize with his distant suffering brethren. Some may called it a mix of sports with politics. Whatever the comments made by different personalities be, though disappointing quite a few political heroes, the fact is ‘tricks of sports’ can be turned into a ‘good cause-politics’ if situation demands.

Violation of human rights in the tiny Himalayan Kingdom, does not need political justification from the Chines govt. , though it requires political solution. Let me agree with. The much talked-about hurly-burly Bhutia politics is not a fancy dress competition. There is something beyond that requires a deeper human reflection and recognition. His refusal to carry the Olympic torch comes from his consciousness and his ambiguous stand on the issue is to show the world that “what is happening in Tibet is not right” that cannot be neglected. No argument please. He has every right do it and harping a negative comment on his stand will go against the fundaments right of our constitution.

Despite the fact, the country’s failure to response positively to the people of Tibet is something ridiculous and treating Dalai Lama as a special guest, denying the principles he stands for, 'is' but a laughing-stock political gimmik. It’s a second downfall of India’s foreign policy. After showing desperate failure to support the democratic movement in Myanmar, once again the aroma of India’s politics is being tasted by the dragon politics. Lack of political consensus on the Tibet issue, putting their political interests above national interests is equivalent to no politics. Rather succumbing to Beijing politics, our government should find the truth from facts. Whatever the position of the Chinese government on Tibet be– a strong and powerful China will always remain a potential threat to India. A great danger, indeed our government should acknowledge with no doubt.

If India is home to the philosophy of ‘non-violence’, then truly, Bhaichung Bhutia’s stands on recent fierce crackdown in Lasha seems logical. No doubt, India has the responsibility towards its neigbhours. Mindless assertions of Tibet being an integral part China is not reasonable, but dozing the eternal burning fire of Mahatma Gandhi’s ideology of non-violence and surrendering to the Chinese hegemony and accepting the cultural genocide in the Himalayan Kingdom.

Any human action that is fuelled by belief and consciousness is a welcome move for some, while a dead blow to others. As the saying goes ‘every coin has two sides’, every opportunity too has two faces, sure - either you accept or just deny it. No doubt, our soccer star Baichung Bhutia has turned the rare opportunity into another opportunity for a cause, close to his heart.

The world would be a poorer place indieed, if people of courage like Bhaichung Bhutia does not make symbolic gestures for freedom and justice. When David’s soldier saw Goliath, they all said, ‘he is so big we cann’t kill him, but David said, ‘he is so big I cann't miss him’. Yes, it’s equally true for soccer star Bhaichung Bhutia too. Why should we doubt about Bhaichung Bhutia’s stand on Tibet?
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Monjib Mochahari's picture

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Dudley's picture

Hats off to Baichung Bhutia for not participating in the Olympic torch ceremony. It is about time Tibetans get all the support they need.China claims that Aruachal Pradesh is part of China but in reality Arunachal Pradesh is part of India and borders Tibet and not China.

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