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Tibetans-in-exile commemorated the 64th anniversary of 'Democracy Day' in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh on Monday and highlighted the significance of the day in establishing democracy for Tibetans.
The day marks the inception of the Tibetan democratic system in exile. On this day, the Tibetan parliament-in-exile was established in 1960 following the arrival of the Dalai Lama and 80,000 Tibetans in exile in Dharamshala. While speaking to ANI, a resident of Dharamshala expressed his pleasure on the occasion and said the day is very special for Tibetan people. "In 1960, Dalai Lama declared the democracy system, started some members of parliament from the different regions of Tibet and then set up the democracy parliament system. A huge number of people from the three regions and also five sectarians of Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet. Since that, we have got a democracy system, as gradually we have the increased members of parliament from different regions," he added. He further added that now the Tibetans have a "full-fledged democratic system" as well as the 46th member of the parliament. "Now we have the 46th member of the parliament. This is a fully democratic system. And the Dalai Lama has given, especially in 2011, that he has given full power to the Tibetan people and the electing there as president of the Tibetan people, the president of the exile and also from Tibet." On September 2, 1960, a year after thousands of Tibetans were forced to flee their homes due to the 'Chinese invasion', the first elected representatives of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile took their oaths in Bodh Gaya to inaugurate the Tibetan democratic system. Last year also, Tibetans-in-exile celebrated the 63rd anniversary of Democracy Day in Dharamshala where leaders of the exiled Tibetan Government including Tibetan parliamentarians and other dignitaries gathered at the main Buddhist temple, Tsuglagkhang in the north Indian hill town Dharmashala. A 13-member delegation including Swedish parliamentarians led by MP Margareta Elisabeth Cederfelt joined the occasion as distinguished guests. The democratic system of government is based on a political ideology that does not differentiate people on the basis of the question whether a person is strong or weak, rich or poor, male or female, or on the basis of their race or lineage, and so forth with regard to their status in society. Rather, it postulates the founding of a society in which everyone is seen as equal, viewed through the prism of the generality or commonality of everyone, according to the Central Tibetan Administration. (ANI)
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