The Dalai Lama has issued an apology after he was accused of inappropriate behaviour for kissing a young boy on the lips and asking him to “suck my tongue” at a public event in India. The incident, which was captured on video, occurred on April 8 when the Tibetan spiritual leader was giving a talk at a school in Dharamsala, where he lives in exile.
The video shows the Dalai Lama calling a boy from the audience to join him on stage. He then hugs the boy, kisses him on the mouth and says “suck my tongue”. The boy appears uncomfortable and tries to pull away, but the Dalai Lama holds him and repeats his request.
The audience laughs and claps, but some people online expressed shock and outrage at the Dalai Lama’s actions, calling them “disgusting”, “creepy” and “abusive”. The Dalai Lama’s office released a statement on April 10, saying that he was sorry for any offence or hurt caused by his behaviour.
The statement said that the Dalai Lama was following an old Tibetan tradition of showing affection by sticking out one’s tongue, which he learned from his mother as a child. The statement said that the Dalai Lama meant no harm and that he was unaware that his gesture could be seen as inappropriate or offensive by some cultures. The statement also said that the Dalai Lama has always respected children and their rights, and that he has spoken out against child abuse and exploitation.
The statement said that the Dalai Lama will be more mindful of his actions in the future and that he hopes that people will forgive him for his mistake.