Sikkim Buddhists want their Karmapa back

GANGTOK: As the lone Lok Sabha constituency in Sikkim goes to poll on April 12, the Buddhist minority want their Karmapa to his seat in Rumtek monastery while the Nepali communities, which form almost half of the populace, seek tribal status.

With less than 30 per cent of the population, Buddhists are the largest minority in the Himalayan state. All the six candidates for the seat are promising to try to enthrone the Karmapa in Sikkim.

Karmapa is a spiritual leader of the Kagyu order of Tibetan Buddhism and is waiting to be enthroned in Rumtek monastery, the largest and most important seat of Buddhism in Sikkim.

Citing security concerns, the union Home Ministry has restricted Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the Karmapa, to travel to Sikkim.

"He is our guru and should be here with his disciples. No one should politicise religion and stop Karmapa from coming here," Sonam Dorjee Lama of Rumtek monastery told PTI.

The ruling Sikkim Democratic Front's (SDF) candidate and sitting MP Prem Das Rai has promised to pursue the issue with the Centre and bring the monks their guru.

Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM)'s Tek Nath Dhakal says the people of the state have given enough time to SDF.

"We want the right Karmapa to come here," he says but refuses to comment on the controversy whether Ogyen Trinley Dorje or Trinley Thaye Dorje should be regarded as the 17th Karmapa.