Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India] April 29 : Authorities in Tibet's Drago County have come under criticism after reports revealed that a site once home to a towering Buddha statue has been converted into a horse racing track by the Chinese Communist government, while new structures have been erected over the demolished Geden Buddhist School, as reported by Tibet Times.
According to Tibet Times, the developments stem from a wider campaign that began in late 2021, when Chinese authorities allegedly demolished a 99-foot Buddha statue, a Maitreya Buddha figure, and dozens of Mani prayer wheels near Gaden Rabten Namgyal Ling Monastery.
Due to strict surveillance and restrictions in the region at the time, details remained scarce.
The statue was relocated inside a monastery assembly hall, while its original site has been repurposed into a large racing circuit. The Buddha statue, originally constructed in 2015 with local government approval and funded by community donations, was considered spiritually significant by residents.
In a parallel development, authorities reportedly ordered the abrupt closure of the Geden Buddhist School in October, giving administrators just three days to comply. Following its demolition, two sizeable buildings have appeared on the site, though their purpose remains unclear. Reports also indicate that a 46-foot statue of Guru Rinpoche at a nearby monastery was destroyed under official directives.
Meanwhile, more than a dozen individuals, including monks, were detained on accusations of sharing information externally. Many were reportedly sent to a political re-education facility, with no confirmed updates on their condition. Further allegations suggest that detained monks were pressured into signing statements accepting blame for the destruction of religious artefacts.
Observers have drawn parallels between these actions and earlier campaigns reminiscent of the Cultural Revolution, as highlighted by Tibet Times.
The controversy has also revived scrutiny of local leadership, particularly after former county party secretary Wang Dongsheng died under unclear circumstances in 2024. He had previously overseen large-scale demolitions at Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, where thousands of monastic dwellings were dismantled and residents expelled, as reported by Tibet Times.
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