As per the directions of the Election Commission of India, thousands of Tibetans born in India between 1950 and 1987, are going to cast their votes in the general elections. According to an official of the Tibetan Government, over 25,000 Tibetans — in exile — in Karnataka have the voting rights and would vote in the April 17 general elections.
Karnataka, which has five Tibetan settlements with the highest number of Tibetans living here, has helped the second generation of Tibetans who get natural citizenship and the Right to Vote. However, there are some who hope to get back to China-occupied Tibet and may not accept Indian citizenship and voting rights.
The Election Commission on February 7 directed the electoral officers in States to include the children of Tibetan refugees — aged above 18 years — in the electoral list “because they are citizens of the country.
However, a Tibetan official feels that because of a technical glitch many in the Bylakuppe Tibetan Settlement in Karnataka can’t vote as they have been denied registration of their names. According to Gelek J, coordinator for the Tibetan Settlement Office, Bylakuppe, though a few refugees in Bangalore could get the voter cards following the EC’s direction, those settled in Bylakuppe were denied registration as the DC of Mysore did not get any clarification till Sunday on the citizenship criteria.
However, Gelek pointed out that the EC had directed that the voting rights would not be denied to Tibetan applicants. “We are yet to get details of those who applied for voting rights during the special drive,” she said.
According to Chief Electoral Officer Anil Kumar Jha, the EC has directed the Deputy Commissioners to enroll the names of those refugees who have complied with the stipulated conditions.
Even though Tibetans are divided over the issue of accepting citizenship which has come naturally, many feel if they accept the citizenship their life would be comfortable. They also feel it will open doors for better way of life for them. A Tibetan youth who is studying in a university college in Bangalore feels he can’t’ dream of going back to Tibet. He feels he has accepted the Indian citizenship which has come to him by birth and wants to be part of this society.
Karnataka has five Tibetan settlements and has the largest population of Tibetan refugees. Tibetan settlements are in Bylakuppe, Gurupura, Oderapalya and Mundgod.