New Delhi: Four activists from Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) were arrested on Thursday after they unfurled banners near Bharat Mandapam, venue of the BRICS Summit.
They were protesting against the visit of President Xi Jinping and the Chinese delegation to New Delhi for the two-day BRICS Summit.
The activists allegedly climbed poles and unfurled banners to highlight their demand for a free Tibet.
They were detained in view of extremely tight security arrangements put in place for the BRICS Summit. Several top global leaders, including Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, will be in town over the weekend.
Members of Tibetan community also took to the streets in Majnu Ka Tila, known as ‘mini Tibet’ in Delhi.
Hundreds of Tibetan nationals marched with banners and posters saying ‘Xi Jinping go back, ‘You are not welcome’, ‘Century of Humiliation’, ‘Ethnic Unity Law and Progress = Genocide’.
The protesters are demanding independence for Tibet, release of Tibetan political prisoners, and the repeal of China’s Ethnic Unity and Progress Law, which rights groups and foreign officials warned could accelerate the forced assimilation of ethnic minorities.
The protest was led by the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC).
The Intelligence Bureau (IB) had warned of possible disruptions to the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. According to ANI, senior IB sources said that the threats could involve graffiti, drone activity, and attempts to breach VVIP routes.
