HC junks PIL against Dalai Lama in kissing controversy
The Delhi high court on Tuesday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) over the alleged molestation of a boy by the Dalai Lama, observing that the Tibetan spiritual leader was “being playful” and had already apologised last year for the incident.
A video clip emerged last year which showed the Dalai Lama purportedly kissing a boy on his lips and asking him to “suck his tongue.”
The incident had sparked outrage on social media.
Subsequently, his office put out a statement in April 2023 which said he “wishes to apologise to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused,” adding that he regretted the incident.
The petitioner, ‘Confederation of NGOs,’ urged the court to pass directions to the authorities to take cognisance of the alleged incident under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and also ensure that the identity of the child is retracted from news portals.
Noting that the PIL cannot be entertained and the incident was “not premeditated,” a division bench of acting chief justice Manmohan and justice Tushar Rao Gedela said, “This court has seen the video and finds that it has happened in full public glare. This court also finds that it was the minor who had expressed his desire and intent to meet the respondent (the Dalai Lama) …If the video is seen in its overall perspective, it can be said that respondent no. 4 (the Dalai Lama) was trying to be playful and was trying to humour the child.”
The court also took “judicial notice” of the Dalai Lama’s already expressed apology to those who may have been offended by his actions.
The incident was reported on February 28, 2023, when the Dalai Lama met 120 college graduates and members of the M3M Foundation at the Tsuglagkhang temple in McLeodganj, Dharamsala. The boy was reportedly accompanied by his parents.
The petitioner’s counsel stated that the petitioner had reached out to authorities such as the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) but did not receive a response.
The council also said this would “normalise kissing of children on the lips.”