Srinagar: The exiled Buddhist spiritual leader Dalai Lama, who is currently on a three-day visit to Zanskar area of Kargil district Wednesday called for religious harmony in the region but ‘preferred silence over social boycott against Muslims,’ locals said.
Zanskar region has witnessed tension between the Muslim and Buddhist communities since 2012 after 22 ‘low caste’ Buddhist members converted to Islam in Padam area of the region, angering Lamas.
In September 2012, the tension snowballed into a communal clash which left dozens of people injured. Many of the wounded from Muslim community were shifted to SKIMS Soura in Srinagar for emergency treatment.
This year also, a clash took place on May 9 in which a Muslim youth was injured after being thrashed by a ‘Buddhist mob.’
On Wednesday, the Dalai Lamai addressed a gathering of Muslim community at Model Public School, Padam. While stressing on religious harmony, he called on both the communities to “live in peace” and “avoid clashing” with each other.
“He called for brotherhood and said all religions teach peace and brotherhood,” Fayaz Wani, the president of Muslim Association, told GNS over phone.
The Dalai Lama was invited by local Muslim groups to the region, a resident said.
Fayaz said they also presented a memorandum to the spiritual leader in which they mentioned the ‘hardships faced by Muslim community since 2012 at the hands of Buddhist community in the region.’
The locals, however, expressed displeasure over Dalai Lama’s silence over ‘social boycott’ against Muslims.
“He did not utter a single word over it. Though we were expecting that he would also speak over it,” Fayaz said, adding, “In memorandum, we had also mentioned the issue of social boycott against us.’
Muhammad Shafi, a local government teacher, said, “The leader was silent over social boycott against Muslims.”