By IANS
New Delhi : China Monday reminded India of the growing partnership between the “rising economic powers” and hoped New Delhi will not be taken in by rumours created by the “Dalai clique” and “maintain an objective and correct stand” on the violence in Lhasa.
“We hope that Indian friends can clearly see the nature of those instigating and conspiring activities of the Dalai clique which aim at splitting China and disrupting Beijing Olympics,” Chinese ambassador to India Zhang Yan told select journalists at the Chinese embassy here.
As the Monday midnight deadline set by China for controlling Tibetan protests approached, the Chinese envoy also urged “Indian friends” not to believe the “rumours created by the Dalai clique and anti-China forces and maintain an objective and correct stand, and avoid any irresponsible words and acts.”
The envoy said the Chinese foreign ministry in Beijing and the Chinese embassy in New Delhi have been in touch with the Indian government about the developments in Tibet.
“I will convey the same to the Indian government when I meet the Indian officials,” he said when asked whether this advice was addressed to the Indian media or the Indian government.
Stressing that he was making this statement at the instruction of the Chinese government, the envoy vehemently rebutted reports of any attempt by the Chinese forces to “crack down” on Tibetan protesters and said steps taken by the Chinese government to control “organized violence” in Lhasa was in line with the law.
“There was no such thing as the cracking down,” he said at the Chinese embassy which has turned virtually into a fortress with Indian security personnel on alert outside the embassy to thwart any attempts by Tibetan protesters to storm the embassy.
“It is the duty of the government to protect the safety of life and property of its citizens. These measures are totally in line with the law and truly welcomed and supported by the people at the grassroots,” the envoy said.
Dismissing reports in a section of the media about the spontaneous eruption of protests by the Tibetans, the envoy claimed that there was enough evidence to show that this was “organized, premieditated and elaborately-planned scheme by the Dalai clique.”
“Its evil motive is to provoke disturbances in the sensitive period of time, create incidents and even blood-shedding events so as to pressurize the Chinese government, disrupt the Beijing Olympics and undermine social and political stability and harmony in China,” he said.
India Saturday said it was “distressed” at violence in Lhasa in the wake of the reported Chinese crackdown on Tibetan protesters and hoped the situation can be improved through dialogue.
“We are distressed by reports of the unsettled situation and violence in Lhasa, and by the deaths of innocent people,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Navtej Sarna said in response to a question on developments in Tibet.
“We would hope that all those involved will work to improve the situation and remove the causes of such trouble in Tibet, which is an autonomous region of China, through dialogue and non-violent means,” the spokesperson said.
The Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader who has been living in Dharamsala in India for decades after he fled Tibet in 1959, has appealed to China not to use force, and address “the long-simmering resentment of the Tibetan people through dialogue with the Tibetan people.” He also appealed to fellow Tibetans not to resort to violence