After having goofed up by easing out travel restrictions against the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje leading to his flight to the US in April, 2017, the Centre has now asked the Tibetan spiritual leader to return to India.
Union Home Ministry officials said the Government has asked the Karmapa to return to India as his followers want him to stay in the country.
The Karmapa was staying in India on a refugee card since January 5, 2000 and has been negotiating with the Indian interlocutors for parity of status with the 14th Dalai Lama who has been granted political asylum since his arrival to India in 1959.
The Karmapa in collusion with the Central Tibetan Administration has been trying to sideline the 83-year old Dalai Lama, the tallest leader in the Tibetan Buddhism hierarchy. The Karmapa, who is an accused in a money laundering case in India, has acquired a passport of Dominican Republic, considered to be a money laundering hub. Interestingly, the travel restrictions put earlier Karmapa were relaxed despite the Union Home Ministry having an advisor for Tibetan affairs Amitabh Mathur, a former Research and Analysis Wing officer. Mathur was appointed for the job in October 2017 for a period of three-year term which ended on September 23.
Currently, the Karmapa is allowed to travel anywhere in India, except the Rumtek monastery in Sikkim but with prior permission from the Union Home Ministry.
The Cabinet Committee on Security, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has also decided to allot a piece of land to the Karmapa in Delhi to construct his monastery. The CCS has decided to allot six acres of land to the Karmapa in Delhi, possibly in the Dwarka area, officials said.
Despite repeated assurances to the Indian officials, the Karmapa has ditched to return to India that granted him a refugee card. Karmapa is the singular Tibetan spiritual leader recognized by both the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government. He heads the Kagyu sect of the Tibetan Buddhism.