After a video of the spiritual leader kissing a child on the lips and telling him to suck his tongue during a meeting in northern India surfaced, Dalai Lama has issued an apology.
In a statement, Dalai addressed his many friends across the world, for the hurt his action may have caused. He also expressed his "regret" over the event.
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The statement read, "His Holiness frequently teases persons he meets in a lighthearted and humorous fashion, even in public and before cameras."
His apology comes in response to criticism of the Dalai Lama's actions on social media following the viral success of a video of the incident, which took place at an event in the alpine city of Dharamshala in February.
The small youngster can be seen approaching the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in the video and requesting a hug.
The 87-year-old spiritual leader then brings the young man up on stage and declares, "First here," pointing to his cheek, which causes the young man to embrace and kiss him.
The Dalai Lama continues, "And I guess finally here also," while pointing to his lips. The youngster is subsequently given a mouth kiss when the man pulls his chin.
After a few seconds, he sticks his tongue out and adds, "And suck my tongue." The boy's identity is unknown. In Dharamshala, the permanent exile home of the Dalai Lama, he was attending an event with the M3M Foundation, the charitable arm of the Indian real estate company M3M Group. The M3M Foundation has been contacted by CNN for comment.
The Delhi-based child rights organization Haq: Center for Child Rights issued a statement to CNN condemning "all forms of child
The statement said, "Some news reports relate to Tibetan culture regarding showing tongue, however, this video is unquestionably not about any cultural manifestation, and even if it were, such cultural expressions are not allowed."
Tenzin Gyatso, the current Dalai Lama, is the most well-known Buddhist leader alive today.
The Dalai Lama, the main representative of Tibetan Buddhism's "Yellow Hat" tradition, is regarded by millions as the reincarnation of his 13 forefathers.
Following an unsuccessful Tibetan uprising against Chinese occupiers, the spiritual leader has been residing in India since 1959. Afterwards, he led thousands of Tibetans who had followed him to Dharamshala, where he created a government-in-exile.
The 80-year-brush old's with controversy in recent years has not been limited to the February event.
He later apologized for remarking that a female Dalai Lama "should be more attractive" if she were to succeed him in a 2019 interview with the BBC.
The year before, in response to the increasing number of African refugees arriving on the continent, he said that Europe should be preserved exclusively for Europeans.
"The whole Europe (will) eventually become Muslim country? Impossible. Or African country? Also impossible," he said, adding that it's better to "keep Europe for Europeans."
