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Indians Are Religiously Tolerant, But Media Creates Sensationalism: Dalai Lama

Indians Are Religiously Tolerant, But Media Creates Sensationalism: Dalai Lama
Tibetan spiritual leader, The Dalai Lama gestures as he addresses the gathering during the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Nimhans Integrated Centre for Yoga in Bangalore on December 7, 2015. AFP PHOTO/ Manjunath KIRAN / AFP / Manjunath Kiran (Photo credit should read MANJUNATH KIRAN/AFP/Getty Images)
MANJUNATH KIRAN via Getty Images
Tibetan spiritual leader, The Dalai Lama gestures as he addresses the gathering during the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Nimhans Integrated Centre for Yoga in Bangalore on December 7, 2015. AFP PHOTO/ Manjunath KIRAN / AFP / Manjunath Kiran (Photo credit should read MANJUNATH KIRAN/AFP/Getty Images)

BENGALURU -- Amid the raging debate over intolerance, Tibetan spiritual head the Dalai Lama today said overall Indians are religiously tolerant, but there are some politicians and some sections of the media who create sensationalism out of "small things".

"Ninety nine per cent of Indians still are religiously tolerant and one per cent it is possible (to have intolerant people). I believe that. Some politicians may express different things, but that is their individual expression," the Dalai Lama told PTI in an interview here.

"Some people in the media too create small things into ....create sensationalism,' said the Dalai Lama, on a three-day visit to Bengaluru.

The Tibetan spiritual leader said a lot of problems are highlighted in newspapers but they are not that serious.

"In India I feel, when we look at the newspapers, there are a lot of problems, but besides that nothing serious - Totalitarian regimes' newspaper is smooth, but underneath a lot of problems," he said.

Asked about criticism that writers did nothing like returning awards during the Emergency and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the Dalai Lama said US President Barack Obama had mentioned Modi as a straightforward and a visionary leader and his visits to different countries has improved India's image and it is on the path becoming an economic power.

"President Obama sort of expressed Prime Minister Modi as brother, truthful, straightforward leader with a vision.During his visits to different countries, the image of India and also the economy, I do not know the details, but if you see his own sort of speeches, India's economy is very rapidly increasing and India is on the path of becoming more powerful," he said.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.