Calls are growing for the Dalai Lama to step down as spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism after he kissed a little boy on the lips and invited him to “suck my tongue”.
The incident happened at an event in February in Dharamsala in India where the 87-year-old Dalai Lama lives in exile.
The video of the incident went viral on social media this week. It shows a young boy embracing the Dalai Lama and kissing him on the cheek.
As the boy stepped away, the Dalai Lama pulled him closer, kissed him on the lips and asked the boy to “suck my tongue”.
According to reports, the child was in the audience and asked if he could approach and hug the spiritual leader.
The Office of the Dalai Lama offered an apology in a statement on Monday.
“His holiness wishes to apologize to the boy and his family as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused,” the statement read. “His holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras. He regrets the incident.”
While the “tongue tease” may be customary in that part of the world, it was viewed with disgust in the Western world.
American rapper Cardi B was among those who expressed condemnation.
The 30-year-old mother-of-two warned parents to talk with their children about child predators who are everywhere.
This world is full of predators. They prey on the innocent. The ones who are most unknowing, our children. Predators could be our neighbors, our school teachers, even people wit money ,power & our churches. Constantly talk with your kids about boundaries and what they shouldn’t…
— Cardi B (@iamcardib) April 10, 2023
The Dalai Lama retired as head of Tibet’s government in 2011 and lives in exile — but he retains his position as the spiritual leader of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, according to media outlets.
The Dalai Lama has faced previous controversies in the past.
In 2019 he said that if the Dalai Lama returned as a woman “she should be more attractive”. His office apologized.
Watch the video below. Viewer discretion is advised.
The 87-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, apologized after a video which showed him asking a boy to suck his tongue triggered widespread backlash on social media. pic.twitter.com/oZ5LlXWSqS
— DW News (@dwnews) April 11, 2023
