Dalai Lama asks young boy to 'suck his tongue' in shocking video

The Dalai Lama asking a minor boy to "suck his tongue" has sparked a massive row on social media platforms with people labelling the act "disgusting." The incident came to light after a video of the act went viral. The video showed the Tibetan spiritual leader kissing the boy on his lips and then asking him to "suck his tongue."

In the viral footage captured from an event last month, the Dalai Lama could clearly be seen kissing the child when the boy leans in to pay his respects. He then sticks his tongue out and points to his mouth, saying, "Can you suck my tongue?" According to a report in News.com.au, it is not yet clear where the incident took place.

The video sparked a row on Twitter, with people criticising the Dalai Lama for the act. However, the audience present at the event laughed it off and did not seem bothered at all.

"Utterly shocked to see this display by the #DalaiLama. In the past too, he has had to apologize for his sexist comments. But saying - Now suck my tongue to a small boy is disgusting," commented a user.

"Disgusting video emerges of Dalai Lama kissing little boy on the mouth and asking him to "suck his tongue. These insidious false prophets are being exposed," commented another.

"This is a disgusting, vile and shameful display by a religious leader. Had this been the action of a Catholic priest, it would have been all over the mainstream media, but because it is by an exiled Dalai Lama, they will just sweep it under the carpet away from public view," added another.

Some Twitter users came forward to defend the Dalai Lama and explained that the kiss may have been a form of greeting. They added that sticking your tongue out is a way of greeting people in Tibet.

The bizarre tradition dates to the times of King Lang Darma, who was an unpopular king with a black tongue. It is said that the Buddhists believe in reincarnation and feared that the cruel king might just come back.

People then began to stick their tongues out to show that they were not the incarnations of the king. And this is how sticking the tongue out became a greeting in Tibet. It is now a form of respect.

Meanwhile, the office of the Dalai Lama has issued an apology for the incident. "A video clip has been circulating that shows a recent meeting when a young boy asked His Holiness the Dalai Lama if he could give him a hug. His Holiness wishes to apologise to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused," it reads.

"His Holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras. He regrets the incident," the statement further added.

This is not the first time that the Dalai Lama has managed to rake up a controversy. During an interview with the BBC in 2019, he said that his successor can be a woman, but she must be "very attractive", or she would be of "not much use."

He went on to add that if she were not attractive, "people, I think, prefer not see her... that face." He later issued an apology for his remarks stating that he was deeply sorry that people have been hurt by what he said and offers his sincere apologies."

"It sometimes happens that off-the-cuff remarks, which might be amusing in one cultural context, lose their humour in translation when brought into another," his office said in a statement.

The Dalai Lama has been living in self-imposed exile in India since 1959, following a failed uprising against Chinese rule. Beijing does not recognise the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), which represents thousands of Tibetans living in exile in different parts of the world.