New Delhi to get a Buddhist learning centre post PM Modi's visit to China

The Capital will soon get a centre for Buddhist learning and worship as an extension of PM Narendra Modi's larger outreach towards the religion. The move comes just days after Modi's trip to China where he visited the Wild Goose Pagoda, a shrine built to commemorate Chinese monk Xuanzang's (or Huen Tsang's) visit to India in 645 AD. Modi has, in fact, also visited Buddhist shrines in Mongolia, Sri Lanka and Japan. The absence of a centre for Buddhist studies in the Capital came up in a meeting between minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju and culture minister Mahesh Sharma on Wednesday .

“Both ministers felt there was no monastery for Buddhists despite a large population following the religion in the Capital. It has been decided to establish one of international repute in Delhi and the modalities will be worked out soon,'' a source said.

Modi's foreign policy pitch has been used to strengthen diplomatic ties with countries like China and Japan. Domestically , it is likely to attract neo-Buddhists who could feel excluded due to the BJP's image as a hardline Hindutva outfit.