‘China Out of Tibet Now’ Echoes in Goa as Xi Jinping Attends BRICS

Nearly 43 Tibetan protesters have been detained by the Goa police.

Tibetans display placards during protest against China demanding freedom of Tibet, at Margao, Goa on Saturday. (Photo: PTI)

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s arrival in Goa ahead of the BRICS Summit on Saturday coincided with protests by Tibetan protesters at Margao town – 35 km from Goa’s capital Panaji – demanding China vacate its illegal occupation of Tibet.

Subsequently, nearly 43 Tibetan protesters were detained by the police. They were rounded up from a site 15 km away from the BRICS summit venue.

The protest was held under the banner of Tibet Youth Congress.

A total of 43 Tibetans were arrested in the town where they were protesting. They will be produced before a local court later in the day.

C L Patil, Margao police inspector

The protesters, including women, were waving placards with slogans demanding China unconditionally start talks with Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama's envoy.

Goa Police started a crackdown on Tibetans a week before the Summit. In the last few days, more than 20 of them were detained and left with a warning. But the protest at Margao caught the police unawares.

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Xi was given a red carpet welcome after he got off the aircraft at the Dabolim Airport and was received by Minister of State for External Affairs, VK Singh.

The eighth BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Summit will be held on Sunday, followed by a signature ceremony and a meeting with the leaders of the member states of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation – or BIMSTEC.

Modi is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Xi for nearly half an hour on Saturday evening at the Taj Exotica resort. India and China are expected to discuss the fallout of the deadly cross-border terror attack on an army camp at Uri on Jammu and Kashmir last month attack by Pakistan-based, while India will make a pitch with its eastern neighbour to further isolate Islamabad, for backing terror infrastructure.

Click for our live blog on the BRICS Summit.

(With IANS and PTI inputs)