For 4th time in three days, Tibetans stage protest in Delhi against Xi's visit

Tibetans groups staged fresh protests against Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India outside the Taj Palace in New Delhi on Friday.

The protesters’ demand is that the Indian government co-operate with and act on the autonomy of Tibet. The police were present at the site and have detained some protesters, placing them under preventive detention.

One of the placards held by the protesters also demanded that the Chinese President meet the Dalai Lama. This demand comes after the Dalai Lama on Thursday said that Xi Jinping was “more open-minded”.

“Xi Jinping’s approach (is) more realistic, more open-minded” than that of his Chinese predecessor Hu Jintao, the Tibetan spiritual leader told reporters in Mumbai.

“Xi Jinping’s thinking (is) more realistic, more open-minded, so he can learn more things from India,” he continued.

“After all, Sino-India relations on the basis on new trust is very important, very essential.”

He made the comments as the two political leaders held talks in New Delhi as part of Xi’s three-day visit to India, where the Dalai Lama has lived since 1959.

This is the fourth time over three days that Tibetans have protested in New Delhi against Xi’s visit. On Thursday, Tibetans staged a protest in south Delhi’s Dhaula Kuan area.

“At least eight Tibetan protesters were detained as they were marching towards the Taj Palace Hotel where the Chinese president is staying,” a police officer had said.

Apart from protests at the Dhaula Khan area, scores of Tibetans staged a vociferous protest and clashed with police outside Hyderabad House, the venue for the bilateral talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On Wednesday, ten Tibetans were detained after they staged a protest outside Chinese Embassy in New Delhi against Xi’s visit.

(With agency inputs)