Dalai Lama asks boy to ‘suck his tongue’, kisses him on lips. Video triggers row

The controversial video of the Dalai Lama with a young boy has triggered disgust and shock. (Image credit: Screengrab from video on Twitter)

A video of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama asking a young boy to suck his tongue is being shared on social media, drawing widespread criticism.

The undated clip begins with the 14th Dalai Lama asking the boy to kiss him on his right cheek when the latter had gone near him to pay his respects. The boy obliges by hugging him and kissing him on his cheek. Next, the Dalai Lama plants a kiss on the boy’s lips. People in the venue can be heard laughing and clapping when the spiritual leader does this. He then pulls the boy’s face and touches his forehead to the boy’s. A few seconds later, the Dalai Lama tells him, “Suck tongue.” He sticks his tongue out and draws the boy close to his face. His action drew loud laughter once again from people at the venue.

People who watched the video on social media expressed their shock and disgust at the 87-year-old Dalai Lama's action.

"This is disgusting and appears to be a case of child molestation," Twitter user Saif Patel said. Several others saod that the act is a case of paedophilia.

Recently, the Dalai Lama named an eight-year-old boy born in Mongolia as the reincarnation of third most important spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism. He was pictured with the boy taking part in the ceremony in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh, recognising the boy as the 10th Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa Rinpoche.

The Dalai Lama, whose real name is Tenzin Gyatso, fled into exile to India in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule. He lives in exile in Dharamshala. China routinely denounces him as a dangerous separatist, although the Dalai Lama says he merely wants genuine autonomy for Tibet, his remote and mountainous homeland. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, and the US Congressional Gold Medal in 2006.

Beijing says that the successor to the Dalai Lama must be chosen according to religious rituals and historical conventions as well as the backing from the ruling Communist Party.