‘Tibetan protestor breaches Wen Jiabao's security’
(NDTV | April 10, 2005)

Bangalore: The Chinese Premier's two-day visit to Bangalore ended on a tense note after a Tibetan activist breached the high security cordon when Wen Jiabao was at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).

Wen Jiabao was in Bangalore to showcase the strengths of Indo-Chinese cooperation in science and IT and woo Indian industry to boost mutual trade.

Seeking attention

While the Chinese Prime Minister was meeting scientists on the ground floor of the IISc building, a Tibetan protestor held a dramatic protest on the roof.

Tenzing Tsundue, the general secretary of the Friends of Tibet, appeared on top of the Indian Institute of Science building. He hoisted the Free Tibet banner in full glare of the international media.

There were tense moments as police feared the youth might jump from the building.

Though the police managed to arrest him, the protestor had already strewn the campus with Free Tibet literature and rent the Sunday afternoon quiet with his slogan "Azaadi hona chahiye" (we want freedom).

"There is a lapse. There is no doubt about it," said Kishore Chandra, joint commissioner of police, Karnataka.

The 40,000 Tibetan refugees living in the southern state had been warned not to stage any protests during the Chinese Premier's visit to Karnataka.

Unfortunate incident: MEA

But the dramatic protest by a Tibetan activist on top of the IISc building was not just a huge security lapse. It has also opened the Pandora's Box on the unresolved Tibet question between India and China just before Wen Jiabao's crucial visit to New Delhi.

Within a couple of hours of that incident, the Indian foreign ministry said the "miscreant" had been caught.

While the state government is conducing an investigation, a spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said: "This is an unfortunate incident. Premier Wen Jiabao is an honoured guest of this country and all efforts are being made to ensure a complete success of this visit."

Exploring IT options

The incident took place even as the Chinese premier was in a meeting with the directors of six top scientific institutions.

Wen Jiabao was discussing issues related to scientific cooperation between India and China.

"He indicated certain areas in which China is very interested. For example he mentioned about MEMS (micro electronic mechanical system), chip design, nano science and technology, genomics, new treatments and understanding of infectious diseases. These are all areas which are of interest to all leading institutions including us," said Prof Goverdhan Mehta, director, Indian Institute of Science (IISC).

Earlier in the day the Premier visited the TCS campus and the ISRO satellite centre. Jiabao said he hopes that one day India and China would cooperate in science and IT for the benefit of their people.

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