Tibetan bikers travel from Karnataka to Dharamshala to promote Free Tibet cause

Two Tibetan bikers rode over 2300 km to reach Dharamshala from Karnataka to promote the ‘Free Tibet Campaign’. The duo is headed towards Leh Ladakh, hoping their journey will shed light on the problems happening in Tibet, reported news agency ANI.

"Both of us are from Karnataka and this is a free Tibet movement that we started around 10 days back and we will conclude our journey in Leh Ladakh. We are telling the local community about Tibetans' sufferings and requesting them to support us," said one of the bikers, Tsering Dhondup.

The pictures show them carrying India’s national flag as well as the flag of Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), an organisation working for the restoration of complete independence for the whole of Tibet, including the traditional three provinces of U-Tsang, Do-toe, and Do-med from the People's Republic of China.

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Tibet was occupied by China in 1951 when Tibetan representatives signed the Seventeen Point agreement which affirmed China’s sovereignty over the region. China also provided for an autonomous administration led by Tibet's spiritual leader, and the then-political leader, the 14th Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama had fled to India in 1959, after the Tibetan revolt against Chinese occupation famously known as the Tibet Uprising of 1959 was crushed by Chinese troops.

TYC says that it frequently organises such campaigns over long distances and exhibitions etc to highlight the struggles of Tibetan people and promote Tibetan culture globally.