Explained: Why the Dalai Lama has been called ‘creepy’ over a kiss with a boy

The Dalai Lama is known to be a man of peace. However, the recent actions of the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people has caused a huge hue and cry, with some people calling him out and terming him “disgusting”, “outrageous” and “creepy”.Tongue in cheek?A video has emerged on social media showing the Dalai Lama kissing a child on his lips and then asking him to “suck his tongue”. According to a report published by News.com.au, the bizarre interaction took place last month during an event for India’s M3M Foundation.The video shows the 87-year-old Dalai Lama, who lives in exile in India’s Dharamshala, addressing students and followers. A young boy then approaches the microphone and asks, “Can I hug you?”The Buddhist monk then calls him on stage and first hugs him, followed by the boy giving him a kiss on the cheek. The video, which has now gone viral, shows the Dalai Lama planting a kiss on the boy’s lips. He is then seen sticking his tongue out as he asks the minor to suck it. “Can you suck my tongue,” he is heard asking the boy in the video.The footage has sparked a flurry of reactions — ranging from outrage to defending the monk. Some have called the Dalai Lama’s actions creepy, while his supporters insist that he was “joking around” with the boy.Twitter user Joost Broekers wrote, “So the Dalai Lama is kissing an Indian boy at a Buddhist event and even tries to touch his tongue. He actually says ‘suck my tongue’. Now why would he do that?”Another Twitter user Rafael Goldstone tweeted, “Disgusting video emerges of Dalai Lama kissing little boy on the mouth and asking him to ‘suck his tongue’. These insidious false prophets are being exposed.”A third Twitter user Jas Oberoi wrote on the social media platform, “What am I seeing? Is this Dalai Lama? Needs to be arrested for paedophilia. Disgusting.”Some Twitter users also called out the behaviour of the other people in the video who were seen smiling and clapping as the boy was kissed by the Dalai Lama. As one netizen wrote, “But people there are smiling and clapping nor bemused by the act.”The Dalai Lama has responded to the outrage and his office has put out a statement apologising for his actions. "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 added, "His Holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras. He regrets the incident."An unusual greeting?In trying to defend the Dalai Lama’s actions, some netizens said that the kiss may actually be a form of Tibetan greeting. In fact, sticking your tongue out is a way of greeting people in Tibet.It has been a tradition since the 9th Century, the time of an unpopular king called Lang Darma, who was known for his black tongue. Buddhists believe in reincarnation and they feared that the cruel king would be reincarnated. Consequently, Tibetans greet one another by sticking out their tongues to show that they don’t have black tongues and are not incarnations of the wicked king.The traditional greeting is now a form of respect.Also read: A new book on the Dalai Lama serves a glorious life story in bite-sized anecdotesDalai Lama, a man of controversies?The 87-year-old Dalai Lama hasn’t been free of controversies. The spiritual leader, who was recently in the news for naming a US-born Mongolian boy as the 10th Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa Rinpoche — the third highest rank in Tibetan Buddhism, has been mired in rows in the past too.In 2019, the Dalai Lama was in the midst of a sexism scandal when he was interviewed by the BBC and reiterated his comments on a female successor. When asked about his successor, he had said his future successor can be a woman but must be “very attractive” or she would be of “not much use.” He also added that if she were not attractive, “people, I think, prefer not see her… that face.”He later apologised for his comments, with his office saying, “His Holiness genuinely meant no offense” and that he’s “deeply sorry that people have been hurt by what he said and offers his sincere apologies.”“It sometimes happens that off the cuff remarks, which might be amusing in one cultural context, lose their humour in translation when brought into another,” the office added.In the same BBC interview, he also managed to anger human rights activists when he was asked about rising levels of African refugees and migrants entering Europe. The Buddhist monk said Europe should take them in and offer them education and training. But ultimately, the migrants should return to “their own land” with only “a limited number” allowed to stay on the continent.With inputs from agenciesRead all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.