With less than a week to go for the Lok Sabha election in Delhi, the Capital is bustling with poll-related activities. But it is business as usual at ‘Majnu ka Tilla’, a cramped refugee colony located on the west bank of the Yamuna.
An open gate adorned with colourful Buddhist decorations and worn-out posters leads to the intertwined alleys of the colony that are thronged by tourists, college students, shoppers and foodies looking for authentic thukpa (Tibetan noodle soup).
There are shops selling budget fashion and footwear, jewellery and semi-precious stones, Tibetan artefacts, and a string of restaurants offering Tibetan cuisine. When not attending to customers, some of the shopkeepers could be seen watching popular Hindi comedy shows or reality shows on their smartphones.
The mood inside the colony, officially called New Aruna Nagar Colony, is in stark contrast to the rest of Delhi, which has been engulfed in poll frenzy.
Karma Dorjee, president of the colony’s resident welfare association, said: “ Hum party-bazi main itna ruchi nahi rakhte. Hum ko itna fayda to hota nahi hai. [We do not engage in politics as we do not get anything out of it].”
Born in Arunachal Pradesh in 1959, Mr. Dorjee said there were only a handful of residents who are eligible to vote. “I can vote,” he added.
When asked about the lack of poll-related activities in the colony, Mr. Dorjee pointed to a bunch of letters sent by the Election Commission to the colony’s residents. “We do take part in the election process. The EC official comes, checks the documents, and after some inquiry we get the election documents,” he said.
Mr. Dorjee said there are around 375 permanent families settled in the colony, with a total of around 3,500 to 4,000 refugees. He, however, had no clue about the number of residents who have acquired Indian voting rights.
A settlement since 1962
Giving a brief history of how the colony was formed, Mr. Dorjee said that in 1959, when the initial exodus from Tibet took place, following the footsteps of the Dalai Lama, many had stayed back at the border towns hoping that things would go back to normal.
But after the 1962 India-China war, those who had stayed back realised that it was going to be a long-drawn process. They were then settled at Majnu Ka Tilla in 1962, said Mr. Dorjee.
Who can vote?
Sonam Norbu Dagpo, Secretary of Department of Information and International Relations, the Central Tibetan Administration based in Dharamshala, said that Tibetan refugees born in India between 1959 and June 30, 1987, can acquire Indian citizenship by birth. “As citizens they have all the rights. The remaining refugees are on residential permit [RP] or residential certificate [RC], which have to be renewed periodically,” he said. When asked if there was any official figure on the number of Tibetan-origin Indians who have voting rights, Mr. Dagpo said there are none.
“Also, I do not think the number will be big. Reason being, voting rights are only available to those who are born between 1959 and 1987,” he said.
Basic issues
In his mid 60s, Sonam Dorjee, who, along with his wife, runs a small clothing shop in the well-known Monastery Market near Kashmere Gate ISBT, said he was not really interested in politics.
He, however, said that the issues which need highlighting were the usual — electricity, water, development etc.
Mr. Sonam Dorjee said his parents moved to Delhi in 1969, before which they were in Darjeeling. Mr. Dorjee now lives in Dharamshala.
He was particularly joyful that the Indian government has been very keen in preserving and flourishing of the Tibetan culture and tradition.
Looking ahead
Asked whether he hopes to return to his country in his lifetime, Mr. Sonam Dorjee exuded hope: “Within the Dalai Lama’s lifetime something will come up for us.” He said the Dalai Lama was their guru and they as followers will continue to follow him wherever he takes them.
Mr. Karma Dorjee said that the residents of Majnu ka Tilla have been offering prayers in the temple inside the colony for the well-being of the Dalai Lama since the news broke in April of him being hospitalised with a chest infection.
“We have been offering prayers every day from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the temple. Besides, we have been serving food to the people at the Nigambodh Ghat,” he said, adding that the prayers will continue till May 4.
“Nobody had thought that we would be here for the long haul. Looking at the circumstances today, it [the Tibetan conundrum] is not going to get solved any sooner,” said Mr. Karma Dorjee.
“China toh pagal ho gaya hai [China has gone mad], but we will continue with our struggle,” he quipped. He also pointed out that it has become very difficult for Tibetan refugees to take an NOC (no-objection certificate) to protest in the Capital. “Earlier, we used to even gather at the gate of the Chinese embassy, but then it got restricted to Teen Murti, and then India Gate and now Jantar Mantar. In recent times, we have been blocked here at the colony gate itself,” he said.
“We have to fight for our country. We will not lose hope,” he added.
Dwindling population
Overall, there are probably around 1,50,000 Tibetans outside Tibet out of which one lakh are in India, said Mr. Dagpo.
“Many of them now go abroad. There is a resettlement programme in many countries, including Canada,” he added.
“Once our kids are out of college, they need to find jobs and opportunities. So whoever gets the chance to go abroad are going there,” said Mr. Karma Dorjee
“We do not get government job. All that we get is jobs in private companies. We are also paid less by these companies as we are refugees,” he said, adding: “That is not the case with foreign countries. Once you become a citizen, everything is equal. They will even enlist you for jobs”.
“ Magar yaha jab tak piche nahi padenge, koi nahi dega [Here, until you chase it, nobody is going to give you anything],” he said laughing.
