NEW DELHI – India would have remained a united country if Jinnah had becomethe first prime minister, the fourteenth Dalai Lama said in Goa onWednesday.
Speaking at an event organised by Goa Institute of Management to kick offits silver jubilee celebrations, the Dalai Lama said the “mistake” has costIndia.
“Mistakes always happen. Now, look at India. I think Mahatma Gandhi ji wasvery much willing to give prime ministership to Jinnah. But Pandit Nehrurefused. I think Pandit Nehru’s was a little bit self-centred,” he said.“Pandit Nehru, I know very well, was a very experienced person, very wise,but sometimes mistakes happen.”
He was answering a question asked by a student on how to “make sure wedon’t take wrong decisions due to our emotions while making these choices.”
The Dalai Lama, living in exile in India since he fled Chinese forces in1959. “I had a lot of discussion with Nehru. On one occasion, Nehru told methat America will not go to war with China to liberate Tibet… And, hetold me that sooner or later you will have to discuss the issue with theChinese government. So in 1974, we decided not to seek independence. Buthistory is history,” the Dalai Lama said.
“I am one of the admirers of the European Union. They think they considercommon interest is more important than national sovereignty… So that’svery practical, very realistic… We had to consider whether separate,independent (Tibet) will be more beneficial or remaining in the People’sRepublic of China…”
“So, therefore, from our side, we are open. But Chinese officials stillconsider me a separatist. But, all over the world those with some knowledgeof Tibet they know that we are not seeking independence,” he added.