Dalai Lama Apologises After ‘Suck His Tongue’ Viral Video Draws Flak

Following the backlash over the viral video a statement was issued from Dalai Lama's team stating that he apologised for his act and that “he meets in an innocent and playful way”. 

Dalai Lama apologised to a boy after a viral video of him caused outcry on social media

Source : AFP

Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama on Monday apologised to a boy and his family after a purported video went viral on social media showing Dalai Lama asking the boy to “suck his tongue” which caused a stir on social media.

The video was widely shared on social media with people criticising the spiritual leader for this act. 

Following the backlash, a statement was issued from the top Buddhist leader’s team stating that he apologised for his actions and that “he meets in an innocent and playful way”. 

“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,” the statement read. 

“His Holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras. He regrets the incident,” it added. 

As per a report by CNN, the video is from an event held in February in Himachal Pradesh's Dharamshala. 

The identity of the boy was not known but the CNN report stated that he was at an event with the M3M Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Indian real estate company M3M Group, based in Dharamshala.

This is not the only incident involving the current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, in a controversy. 

He had apologised after a 2019 interview with BBC, during which he said if a female Dalai Lama should succeed him, she "should be more attractive." 

The previous year, while speaking about the rising level of African refugees in Europe, the Buddhist leader had suggested that Europe should be kept for Europeans.