Key Points:
Tibetan students and activists protested outside the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi on March 10, demanding a “Free Tibet” and raising slogans against Chinese aggression. The demonstration marked the 67th anniversary of Tibetan National Uprising Day.
Protesters carrying Tibetan flags and placards demanded freedom, preservation of their language and culture, and international attention to the Tibetan issue. They also criticised China’s claim over Tibet and called for support for their demand for a separate nation.
Delhi Police detained around two dozen protesters as security was tightened near the Chinese Embassy. Tibetan National Uprising Day commemorates the 1959 revolt in Lhasa, after which the Dalai Lama fled to India and began life in exile.
Several Tibetan students and activists staged a protest outside the Chinese Embassy in the national capital on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, demanding a “Free Tibet” and raising slogans against what they described as Chinese aggression in the region. The demonstration was held to mark the 67th anniversary of Tibetan National Uprising Day, observed every year on March 10.
Protesters, many of them associated with Tibetan student groups and the Tibetan Youth Congress, carried Tibetan flags and placards while chanting slogans such as “Free Tibet” and calling for the protection of Tibetan culture and rights.
Speaking to IANS, one of the protesting students said: "It's been 67 years since we have been refugees in India. We want our freedom back, and we want to preserve our own language and our own culture. We want our own nation and the UN to focus on this issue." Another protester said that they had gathered to highlight their demand for a separate nation and to draw attention to what they described as China’s claim over Tibet.
"We have come here to protest against China. We want our country back. I want to request that you all show our issues. China claims that Tibet is part of China. But Tibet is a separate nation. We have our national anthem. We have our national flag also. As the Iran-Israel war is going on, there are countries that are supporting them, but during the Tibetan Uprising in 1959, we didn't have any support at that time. Free Tibet."
One of the protesters also displayed pictures of Chinese leaders, including Mao Zedong and Chinese President Xi Jinping, while expressing anger over their role in Tibet’s history. "It has been 67 years. They are the killers of a lot of Tibetans. This guy (Mao Zedong) killed more than Hitler."
Delhi Police personnel later detained several protesters and removed them from the area as security arrangements were tightened around the Chinese Embassy. Reports indicate that around two dozen demonstrators were detained to maintain order during the protest.
March 10 is marked globally by Tibetans as Tibetan National Uprising Day, commemorating the 1959 revolt in Lhasa against Chinese rule. On March 10, 1959, thousands of Tibetans gathered around the residence of the 14th Dalai Lama in Lhasa amid fears that Chinese authorities planned to detain him.
The protests quickly escalated into a widespread uprising against Chinese control. The revolt was eventually crushed by Chinese forces. In the aftermath, tens of thousands of Tibetans were reportedly killed or arrested, and the Dalai Lama fled Tibet, beginning his life in exile.
The day is observed worldwide by Tibetans and their supporters to remember those who lost their lives during the violent crackdown that followed the uprising. It also serves as a platform to raise awareness about Tibetan culture, human rights, and the ongoing demand for greater freedom and autonomy.
With Inputs from IANS
(GP)
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