NEW DELHI: Tibetans celebrated their 48th "Democracy Day" on Tuesday and suspended protest demonstrations that were going on in the Indian capital since March against "atrocities in Tibet".

Scores of exiled Tibetans, holding their red-blue-yellow flag in pride, celebrated the day, which marks the beginning of the Tibetan government in exile in India.

Saying it was a directive from the Tibetan Solidarity Committee members in Dharamsala, Tenzin Lekshay of the committee said the protests against "atrocities in Tibet" going on in Delhi since March this year, have been temporarily suspended.

"The Tibetan parliament, which begins its monsoon session Sep 6,will decide whether the demonstration will continue or some other form of protest will be held instead. But for now, it is suspended," Lekshay said.

According to him, the "Tibetan Democracy Day" was introduced in 1960 after the Dalai Lama escaped from Tibet. The Tibetan government in exile has been functioning since then and the day observed each year.

The Democracy Day at Jantar Mantar, the observatory in the heart of the business centre of the capital, began with the singing of the Tibetan anthem followed by the Indian national anthem.

Tempa Tsering, representative of the Dalai Lama, while speaking to the gathering, most of who had come down from Dharamsala, abode of the Dalai Lama, as well as Tibetan students from across Delhi, expressed gratitude at the amount of Indian support to the Tibetan cause.

Dharamsala is the seat of the Tibetan government in exile and the Dalai Lama has made the town his home along with thousands of his followers after he fled Tibet following a failed uprising in 1959.

Source : DNA