ST JOSEPH’S COLLEGE OF LAW

RESIDENCY ROAD, BANGALORE

ASSIGNMENT
SUBJECT: POLITICAL SCIENCE
TOPIC: JAYAPRAKASH NARAYAN- TRAGEDY OF TIBET

NAME: POOVIZHI KALYANI M

I BA LLB – A
SUBMITTED TO: GEO C VARGHESE SIR
DATE OF SUBMISSION:01.03.2022
 BACKGROUND OF THE TRAJEDY OF TIBET:
The Tragedy of Tibet tells us about the how the Chinese
Government started a rebellion which happened in Tibet forcing
thousands of Tibetans to flee to India and what were the
consequences of the same. Which we will be discussing.
Who is Jayaprakash Narayan?
Jayaprakash Narayan is a congress socialist and also an unsung hero
of the Indian history. He was born in Bihar on 11 October 1902. He
was also referred to as JP, Lok Nayak. He studied in a village school in
his initial years and was then sent to Patna to where he passed his
matriculation with a distinction in the year 1918. At 1920 he married
Prabavati who is the daughter of a Gandhian and later she became a
disciple of Gandhiji. He was a part of the freedom movement and
later when Gandhiji was arrested he felt that he was left at sea then
in 1922 he went to study in the United States and spent 7 years. He
studied at university of California, Lowa, Wisconsin and Ohio. He did
odd jobs to survive in the United States. He was unable to pursued a
P. HD degree and had to return to India because of his mother’s poor
health condition. When he returned back to India his wife was a close
associate of Gandhi. Narayan aka JP was attracted towards Jawaharlal
Nehru’s ideas of Modernism and socialism which eventually led him
to join the Congress socialist party, he actively participated in the
problems faced by industrial labour. After he joined in politics he was
arrested, tortured, escaped jail, travelled secretly in Northern parts
of India. He was released towards the end of World War 2 as a deal
between the congress socialist party and the Government (British
Raj). 1948 created the socialist party and failed to win in the
elections. This time Nehru wanted to JP to join the Congress but JP
had lost interest in politics and was inclined towards the Gandhian
Vinobha Bhave.
 Nearly after two decades JP aka Jayaprakash Narayan entered into
politics and opposed against Indira Gandhi’s Government claiming
the government was corrupted. After a successful campaign and a
win as a political party the Janata Party was dissolved because of
internal conflicts. JP was the Gandhi that India required in the second
part of the twentieth century, when the youth were disillusioned
with weak government, corruption, and the slow rate of growth.
When everything looked to be coming apart in the 1970s due to
student unrest, he essentially stepped into the Mahatma's shoes.
When he seized the lead, advocating for a "complete revolution,"
Indira Gandhi retaliated by stifling democracy and imprisoning her
opponents. Despite his failing health, JP made significant sacrifices to
combat the Emergency government, cobble together a ragtag
coalition of different political groups, and assure Indira Gandhi's
defeat and the revival of democracy. After series of events JP aka
Jayaprakash Narayan passed away on October 1979.
WHAT DOES TRAGEDY OF TIBET SPEAK OF?
The tragedy of Tibet speaks about the hardships faced by the
Tibetans because of the Chinese government. It also speaks about
how Tibet and India maintained its relationship and how they faced
the struggles because of the Chinese government dominance over
the Tibetan territory. It also speaks of how the Chinese tyranny took
away the powers of Dalai Lama, insulted and destroyed their
monasteries and their holy place.
SUMMARY OF THE TRAGEDY OF TIBET:
Tragedy of Tibet speaks about the Chinese invasion of Tibet and its
domination in the suzerainty. Tibet being India’s immediate
neighbour it shares and has become a very important aspect of
Hindus as Buddha is considered as the last avatar of Lord Vishnu. The
world knows well about China than themselves and India never
wanted to start a war with China. India has always been on a neutral
side India never wanted to spoil the friendly relation with the
Chinese government. The situation in Tibet clearly states us that
1. Tibet is not a region/part of China or India. It Is an autonomous
body just like the other countries.
2. Tibet has fallen as prey to the Chinese suzerainty and has not
had the freedom to express itself in many situations
3. It was a sovereign country many times.
4. The 8th century ruler Peking has given fifty thousand yards
towards Tibet to maintain a healthy and a friendly relationship
with China.
Tibet functioned as an independent country after the fall of the
Manchu empire. Everything was smooth till the 1950. After the
1950 the Chinese communist government tried to re implement
the suzerainty in Tibet but his time the British also tried to invade
Tibet. It was two powerful forces back then in those days trying to
take control over Tibet. Both China and British had their selfish
motive to take control over Tibet and exploit it through enormous
powers. India was not in a position to stop China into taking
control over Tibet once again through suzerainty. India as said
earlier could not prevent it because it does not want to be
enslaved by such powerful countries and not to sever the friendly
ties with China. China itself portrays and image to the world
stating that it is oppressive, powerful, aggressive it is often
referred to as an imperialist and an expansionist. Countries like
Russia, China, Britain etc., practised communism which turned out
to be aggressive and expansionist which defeated the idea of
communism.
The Chinese government played dirty tricks to bring Tibet under it
control. It interfered in each and every matter of the Tibetan
government in such a way that it started to humiliate, torture, ill
treat people like how the British Raj did to Indians. The chines
government imprisoned the reverends and tortured them very
 badly, they demolished the sacred places, properties were taken
control. New government was established under the Chinese
government and took control of all the resources and they were:
1. Gold and silver
2. Post and telegraph
3. Hydroelectric plant
4. Granaries
Also, they introduced the Chinese stamps which is a symbol of
making people to support the Chinese government with or without
their willingness they also stopped printing the currency of Tibet. It
was more like a dictatorship in the name of communism. The powers
vested by Dalai Lama was cut and they were ill-treated. This
eventually led to China forcefully acquiring and wanted the Tibetan
region to be under its complete control. This was very disheartening
for the people of Tibet as they had to forcefully give up their
traditions and practices and follow the rules and regulations laid
down by the Chinese government. The Chinese government tried to
play good but eventually revealed it true face in the name of land
reforms. Some voiced out against this reform but was not strong
enough to take the Chinese dragon down. Communism’s ultimate
enemy is truth as mostly Communism relies on truth and equality.
Through such nasty and cunning moves the Chinese government
almost looted Tibet. Tibetans always wanted freedom and so did
their leaders. They always stood by the side of truth and justice. The
Tibetans still believe that there some room for hope in Tibet’s self-
rule, speak and settle down things between China and Tibet. Despite
giving such tortures and humiliation by the Chinese government it
also contributed to Tibet’s economic development. Similarly,
developments should not be done in such a way that there is no
harm or threat to humanity. Some refer growth of a nation in terms
of economy and industrial growth. In the case of Tibet there was no
or very less protection for mankind. Progess of the nation and
progress of mankind should happen simultaneously. It should be
remembered that when Chinese hostility began in the 1950s, the
Tibetan government relocated to the United Nations. The El
Salvadoran member had publicly requested that the UN condemn
China for its unjustified war on Tibet, and had recommended the
formation of a special commission to investigate what steps the
general assembly may take to support Tibet. On the strength of
India's representative's guarantees, the matter was agreed to delay
the Tibetan petition indefinitely. Also, the Tibetans never wanted to
have any sort of war with China because it is a fight against the right
of a human. Tibet will be resurrected and Tibet will not die as it filled
with human spirits hoping for the light of freedom in any form except
for war.
WHY?
Jayaprakash Narayan discusses the TRAGEDY OF TIBET because Tibet
is a small nation and is our immediate neighbour. Problems of such
small countries do not come out very often unless and until it faces a
major breakthrough in its history. Tibet is small nation sharing
borders with China and India. Invasion of the Chinese Government
very badly affected the lives of the Tibetans. Jayaprakash Narayan in
his speech tells us how India could not help Tibet during her tough
situation as India herself was in a position to not take sides and China
being a supreme power never wanted to have a war. He also imparts
us the knowledge on how small countries are unable to voice out or
fight back and face brutal trauma.
WHEN AND WHERE?
Jayaprakash Narayan voiced out this issue in the Afro-Asian
committee on Tibet in the year 1959. Which is just a few years after
India got her freedom. The Afro-Asian committee was also known by
the name The Bandung Conference. Indonesia's President Sukarno
and India's Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru became important
organisers in his drive to form a nonaligned movement that would
get the backing of Asia's and Africa's newly rising states. The concept
came to Nehru during the Asian Relations Conference, which was
held in India in March 1947, at the brink of India's independence. In
January 1949, a second 19-nation meeting on the position of
Indonesia was convened in New Delhi, India. Almost every month, a
new African or Asian nation emerges with its own representatives
and ambition to incorporate into the global system for the first time.

MY REFLECTIONS:
I completely agree with Jayaprakash Narayan also fondly known as JP,
as he speaks about the dominance of powerful countries over
smaller ones. Because of such dominance the growth of the nation is
put to a question mark and it is that it creates a sense of fear making
it really difficult for people to live in such conditions. Also, China’s
move towards making thousands of Tibetans to flee from the country
was absolutely wrong. Governing a country in the name of suzerainty
has its own positives and negatives. But in Tibet’s case it was
extremely awful as China looted its resources and took complete
dominance of the territory.
Though there were times where there were mutual and friendly
relations between Tibet and China after the fall of the Manchu
empire the Chinese Socialist Government took this as an opportunity
and charged on vulnerable Tibet. This time the Socialist party in the
name of suzerainty took complete control of the Tibet. The natives
were very badly humiliated like how the British raj had humiliated
the Indians.
Such dehumanising acts should have never been taken as tool by
China. Tibet had a good economy and industrial growth bit such
growth is not considered as a growth of a nation. Nation is not just
made up of industries, economy etc but the people who make these
industries and economy to work. The meaning of communism is
being forgotten by the Chinese government as it took up dictatorship
in the name of Communism. Communism basically refers to a
socialist government which works towards the favour of the people.
A country’s progression lies in both human progress and industrial
development.
CONCLUSION:
The struggles faced by Tibet is inexplainable in the past. After years
and years of struggle Tibet is now in a better position. Even though
Tibet is under the suzerainty of China it has better conditions of
living. Tibet never wanted to have war with China as they always
believed in truth and justice. It was always considered a fight for the
rights of a human. People of Tibet still believe that there might some
possibility for Tibet’s freedom. Freedom of Tibet was never a one
man’s thought it was always for the entire nation.
Also, the leaders of the nation stood by in all difficult situations and
still wanted Tibet to have its own home rule and people had a faith in
that process. Tibet and India are the best example for the quote
“UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL”. No matter what came along
the process the people of both the countries stood together bought
battles in a peaceful and a calm manner. Non violence is a long
process but the long process is worth the wait as there is a mutual
understanding between the countries and resolve their disputes
without any blood shed or war.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Makers of Modern India – Ramchandra Guha
www.google.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandung_Conference
https://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/books/2021/nov/28/bo
ok-review-jayaprakash-narayan-the-gandhi-of-the-emergency-era-
2388169.html