'Suck my tongue': 4 Controversial statements by Dalai Lama

The video of His Holiness Dalai Lama sticking out his tongue and allegedly asking an Indian (minor) boy to suck it went viral and got the Tibetan leader under fire. Later, he apologised to the family as well as the minor.

This isn't the first time that the spiritual leader has sparked a controversy. His statements regarding political events across the world and the neighbouring country of China have often triggered a debate.

From the recent remark 'Suck my tongue' to the 2019 comment about his successor, here are 4 controversial statements by Dalai Lama.

(1) In 2019, when media questioned him about whether he could be succeeded by a woman Dalai Lama, his reply evoked a controversy after he said: "If female Dalai Lama comes, then (she) should be more attractive."

(2) In August 2018, the Dalai Lama blamed and attributed Gandhi for India-Pakistan divide. Expressing his thoughts he told media that the two countries would have remained united if not Mahatma Gandhi wished to see Muhammad Ali Jinnah as India's first PM.

(3) His opinion on Brexit: "It’s better for Britain to remain in the European Union." However, later, he distanced from the scenario.

(4) Earlier in 2023, the spiritual leader took a dig at China and said, "China is attempting to target and destroy Buddhism but it won't succeed." "I find local people very devoted to dharma and it is the case in Mongolia and in China too though the system (Chinese government) sees dharma as poison and tried to destroy it," he added.