India has never used me against China: Dalai Lama

BOMDILA: Rubbishing media reports that India is using the Dalai Lama as a diplomatic leverage to challenge China, the Tibetan spiritual leader on Wednesday said "India has never used him against China."
On Chinese anger over India allowing him to visit Arunachal Pradesh , he said, "Please do not say angry Chinese. There are many in China who love India. It is only some narrow-minded politicians who see India in a different way just like the way they see me as a demon.I am not a demon."
The Dalai Lama also asked Beijing to give Tibet a meaningful autonomy for the mutual benefit of both his homeland and China.
"China has the highest population of Tibetan Buddhists. Many Chinese intellectuals fully support our cause," the spiritual leader said while addressing reporters here.
"We are not seeing independence. We want to remain with the people's republic of China. Tibet is materialistically backward but spiritually highly advanced. We want to develop materialistically by remaining with China and it should also feel the same way for the mutual benefit," he said while recollecting his escape to India 58 years ago and his journey through Bomdila.
The Dalai Lama's statement comes as China on Wednesday lodged a protest with India over his visit to Arunachal Pradesh.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, addressing a regular briefing in Beijing, voiced her country's "firm opposition" to the Dalai Lama's visit and said Beijing would lodge "stern representations with the Indian side".
The Chinese side lodged a protest with Indian Ambassador Vijay Gokhale in Beijing over the Dalai Lama's visit.
On Tuesday, India said that no political motive should be attributed to the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh and asked China not to interfere in its affairs .
(With inputs from agencies)