What a Man..a True Buddha Warrior!!....He also refused to carry the Beijing Olympic torch in solidarity with the People of Tibet......." Bhutia hails from Sikkim and his concern on Tibet, Lhasa incident
is a concern of any other human rights activist or social activist or
cultural legacy of the monks, etc. against the violence."
now SNAPPLE FACT:Guys ever wondered what Baichung means- Bhai means brother ( in Nepali)In Tibetan it transaltes into Bhu (SON) chung (Little One) also Little Bro or Son....but we know he's the Big Bro...haha...CHEERS!! :)
Jai Nepal!!____________________________________________________________________
ACE
INDIAN footballer and captain of the Mohun Bagan football team,
Baichung Bhutia has thumbed his nose at China. He has refused to be
part of the Olympic torch relay. The soccer star’s decision has been
communicated to the Indian Olympic Association. The Olympic flame is
slated to reach New Delhi on April 17.
Bhutia,
who said that it is a personal decision and that he had not been
requested by anybody or any forum, has told the media that he
sympathised with the Tibetan cause. A Buddhist, the footballer said,
back home in Sikkim he had many Buddhist friends. He made it clear that
this was his form of protest and his way of showing that he stood by
the people of Tibet and their demand for freedom. He said he
sympathises with the cause of Tibetans. He said that he has sent a fax
to the Indian Olympic Association refusing to carry the torch. Three
weeks ago the IOA president Suresh Kalmadi had faxed an invitation to
Bhutia to take part in the relay.
Sikkim
has a significant population of Tibetans living in exile. Tibetan
youths from the North East of India last week marched to Rangpo on the
Bengal-Sikkim border and tried to enter Tibet through Nathu-la.
Tibetan
youth groups had earlier requested actor Aamir Khan to withdraw from
the relay but he has remained silent on the score.
The
torch relay in India, which is part of the 130-day, 31-nation relay
will kick off from the Red Fort and conclude at India Gate. There will
be a tight security blanket. Media reports suggest that at a meeting
today in New Delhi, it was decided to beef up security to the level
that is followed during Republic Day. The meeting was attended by
officials of the home minister, officials of the New Delhi government,
the Delhi police brass and intelligence agencies.
The
government of India’s security perceptions has been heightened after
China threatened to cancel the New Delhi leg of the torch relay after
Tibetan activists scaled the Chinese embassy walls in Chanakyapuri.
Huge coils of barbed wire were promptly laid out to discourage further
protests near the embassy.
Bhutia’s decision
to drop out of the relay, specifically stating that he was doing it for
the cause of the struggle of Tibetan people, is likely to further mire
the Olympic Games in Beijing in controversy.
