A State Within a State?

McConnell, F. (2011). A state within a state? Exploring relations between the Indian state and the Tibetan community and government-in-exile. Contemporary South Asia, 19(3), 297-313.

•      “In terms of the relationship between the exile Tibetan administration and the GoI, the latter has been extraordinarily generous and tolerant host, and exile Tibetans have been grateful and largely obedient guests” (Diel, 2002).
•      “Whilst a rosy picture of good working relations was painted by the majority of interviewees, interactions between the GoI and the TGiE vary considerably across India, with relations generally being more cordial in Karnataka than in the Himalayan states” (p. 300).
•      “Due to being perceived as ‘model refugees’ (Fuerer-Haimendorf, 1990), Tibetans in India have, in general, enjoyed preferential treatment from the GoI “(p. 301).
•      “The increasing numbers of Tibetans coming into exile following the liberalization of Chinese policy in 1979 and improvements in Sino-Indian relations in the 1980s meant that Tibetans arriving after this period have not been recognized as ‘refugees’by the GoI and, although they are generally allowed to remain in India, have no legal status” (McConnell forthcoming, 2009, p. 301; Garratt, 1997).
•      “…under the Indian Consitution Tibetans are entitled to the rights applicable to all non-citizen aliens residing in India, including freedom to work, access to Indian health, and education facilities and freedom to practice and propagate their own religion” (pp. 301-301).      “Tibetan citizenship is materialized in the rangzen lagteb or ‘Green Book’, which Tibetans refer to as a pseudo passport and the annual payment of chatrel or ‘voluntary contributions’ to the TGiE, both of which are essential to fufncitoning in the exiled community.  They enable admission to Tibetan schools, access to TGiE-run welfare services…” (p. 303).
• The government of India allows access to education for Tibetans in their schools, as well as the Tibetan schools.  The Government of India (GoI) and the Tibetan Government in Exile (TGie) have civil relationship with each other in matters involving education.  McConnel (2011) said in her study that interviewees painted a  “rosy picture of good working relations,” but that “interactions between the GoI and the TGiE vary considerably across India, with relations generally being more cordial in Karnataka than in the Himalayan states” (p. 300).  Karuna Home is located in or near the state of Karnataka, and therefore is in an area where the GoI is working well with the TGiE.