NEW DELHI: His Holiness the Dalai Lama yesterday said India is better placed than countries like China and Pakistan when it comes to corruption in governance and asked the “free media” here to bring out the misdeeds of politicians and officials.
He also said India has better mechanism than China to check corruption and said the judiciary here is independent and not “controlled by a party” as in the communist country.
Corruption is there at all levels. Ultimately, self-discipline and inner moral ethics only can root out this menace. But India is better than countries like China and Pakistan,” he said, after delivering the 16th Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial Lecture here.
His Holiness said the judiciary in India is “independent” and is not controlled by the ruling “Congress party”. “There is at least transparency and accountability. There is a free press,” he said in response to a question how to tackle corruption in India.
He also said China does not have the kind of independent judiciary India has and asked the media here to “check what is going on behind” the scenes in government and other departments.
To a question on terrorism, he said it is an “invisible and dangerous” problem which threatens the world.
“To tackle this, we need to go to the root cause of the problem. The emphasis should be given on fundamental values. It is kind of sin of the past,” he said.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama also said only through education and awareness peace “can be brought” to the world and not through prayers.
“I don’t belive that only prayers can bring peace. It is hardwork and awareness and education which can bring peace,” he said.
He also regretted the absence of lessons on moral and ethical values in the modern education system and pitched for its inclusion.
On 9 January, His Holiness will give a teaching on ‘The Different Levels of Happiness’ on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Tushita Dharma Celebration in the early afternoon at the Modern School Auditorium on Barakhamba Road.