Dalai Lama issues apology to boy, his family for asking him to suck his tongue

A statement put out on the Dalai Lama’s Twitter handle said: “His Holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras. He regrets the incident

DHARAMSHALA: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama apologised on Monday after a video clip, which showed him asking a young boy to suck his tongue, triggered a sharp backlash on social media.

The incident occurred at a public gathering in February at the Tsuglakhang temple in Dharamsala, where the Dalai Lama lives (Photo:www.dalailama.com)

“A video clip has been circulating that shows a recent meeting when a young boy asked His Holiness the Dalai Lama if he could give him a hug. His Holiness wishes to apologise to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused,” a statement issued by the 87-year-old Dalai Lama’s private office said.

“His Holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras. He regrets the incident,” the statement, also put out on his Twitter handle and on his website said.

People familiar with the matter said the video clip, which went viral on social media on Sunday, relates to an incident that took place on February 28 at the courtyard of Tsuglagkhang complex, Dalai Lama Temple in McLeodganj.

The Dalai Lama apologised in 2019 for saying in an interview with BBC that if his successor were to be a woman, she must be “very, very attractive” otherwise she is “not much use.”