DALAILAMA SAID"NO MORE CONCESSION"

Even as the Government allayed Chinese concerns on the security of the Olympic torch for the umpteenth time, India on Friday made it clear that a West Bengal-like ban on protests by Tibetans was not possible across the country. China was told on Friday, through diplomatic channels, that India being a democratic country, could not ban protests unless it sought to break law or create a law and order problem, official sources said. The point was conveyed after Beijing sought to know from New Delhi whether a ban like the one imposed by the Left Front Government in West Bengal could be extended to the rest of the country.
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New Delhi made it amply clear that the decision of the West Bengal Government was made neither at the directions of the Centre nor in consultation with the Central Government. Sources said law and order being a state issue, the West Bengal Government was free to take such a decision, but the Centre was not planning to impose a similar ban in the rest of the country.
At the same time, New Delhi reiterated that the Olympic torch would not be put in danger in any way. Once the torch landed here, it was India’s responsibility to take care of it, and its security would be ensured at all costs. However, it was agreed that the elite security team from China would continue to escort the torch during the relay in New Delhi, as it has been doing at every city around the world. Sources said one more Chinese team would come to Delhi on Saturday to see the arrangements made for the torch relay on April 17. It will hold discussions with government officials and police. China had earlier sent a four-member team here to discuss security arrangements for the Chinese Embassy that had come under attack from the Tibetan protestors last month.
Officials admit that the Tibetan protests this time has been unprecedented in terms of scale, planning, organisation and execution and therefore, controlling the same is tough. However, the Government is keen not to get caught in the tussle between the Chinese and the Tibetans and would pull out all stops to ensure that the relay is not jeopardised.