DHARMASALA, INDIA, October 4, 2001: In his first-ever reaction to media reports about the Dalai Lama planning to convert a million Hindus to Buddhism, Tibetan in-exile Prime Minister Samdhong Lobsang Tenzin today said the Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel laureate had never converted any Hindu and did not intend to do so in the future. “In fact, the Dalai Lama is always against the conversion of people from one religion to another. Nor has he encouraged anyone, including the Hindus, to convert into our religion,” he stated. Mr Samdhong said though such reports had been appearing in the media for the past some time, but there was no reaction from Tibet. He said it was only after his meeting with Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Puri yesterday that he became aware of such news reports regarding conversions being circulated [see HPI October 1]. “Hearing from the Jagadguru, I was deeply shocked and I felt that it was necessary to give our clarification,” he said. Two days ago, the Shankaracharya of Puri, Swami Nishchalanand Saraswati, had accused the Dalai Lama of converting Hindus. Interacting with mediapersons at Brajeshwar Temple in Kangra, he had stated that the Dalai Lama would convert one million Hindus to Buddhism in New Delhi. Media reports had indicated that the plans of the Dalai Lama on mass conversion had been postponed and now the conversions would take place in Delhi on a specified date.
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