Tibetans hold protests against India-China border talks

NEW DELHI: About a dozen Tibetans, including women, today staged a protest outside the Hyderabad House here objecting to the border talks between India and China claiming that Beijing cannot discuss the issue before giving freedom to Tibet.

Draped in Tibetan flags and carrying anti-China placards, the protesters assembled in front of the Hyderabad House near India Gate in the morning where External Affairs Minister S M Krishna was holding bilateral talks with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

Anticipating protests, a number of police personnel were deployed in the area and they immediately detained the demonstrators who were shouting slogans demanding freedom for Tibet.

"We have detained the protesters, including women. We have taken them to a nearby police station," a senior police official said.

One of the protesters said China cannot discuss the issue before giving freedom to Tibet. "It is ridiculous for China to have talks with India before giving us freedom," he said.