DEVOTEES IN INDIA CARRY OUT CANDLE LIGHT RALLY IN SUPPORT OF KARMAPA LAMA

NATURAL WITH HINDI AND ENGLISH SPEECH

DURATION: 3.07

SOURCE: ANI

TV AND WEB RESTRICTIONS: NO ACCESS BBC

Devotees in India carry out candle light rally in support of Karmapa Lama.

Devotees of 17th Karmapa Lama carry out candle light rallies in support of the spiritual leader in India's national capital New Delhi and northeastern state of Sikkim.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL

SHOWS:

NEW DELHI, INDIA (JANUARY 30, 2011) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)

1. DEVOTEES OF KARMAPA LAMA CARRY OUT CANDLE LIGHT RALLY IN NEW DELHI

2. DEVOTEES SINGING PRAYER

3. CLOSE UP OF A DEVOTEE

4. MANY DEVOTEES STANDING WITH CANDLE

5. A WOMAN DEVOTEE STANDING WITH CANDLE

6. MANY WOMEN DEVOTEES STANDING WITH CANDLES IN THEIR HANDS

7. PICTURE PLACARDS OF KARMAPA LAMA

8. CLOSE UP OF CANDLES

9. DEVOTEES DOING PRAYERS

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi/English) CHOGYAL, A DEVOTEE, SAYING: "There are thousands of other cases but they are not highlighting them. But the media is bringing up this very small matter and trying to make it a high profile issue. That is why we have gathered here."

11. DEVOTEES STANDING ALONGSIDE KARMAPA LAMA'S PICTURE

12. A DEVOTEE STANDING ALONGSIDE KARMAPA LAMA'S PICTURE

13. MANY YOUNG DEVOTEES STANDING WITH KARMAPA LAMA'S PICTURE

14. AN OLD-WOMAN DEVOTEE PRAYING

15. A WOMAN DEVOTEE CRYING

16. DEVOTEES SINGING PRAYERS

17. DEVOTEES STANDING WITH CANDLES

18. CLOSE UP OF CANDLES

19. CLOSE UP OF KARMAPA LAMA'S PICTURE

20. MANY DEVOTEES STANDING WITH CANDLE

21. (SOUNDBITE) (English) JAMYANG, KARMAPA'S FOLLOWER, SAYING: "It is basically the news that has spread because of the police raid. I think it is totally a baseless allegation because until and unless media knows all the details, it cannot claim that he has Chinese links. It is to be proved if it is the truth."

GANGTOK, SIKKIM, INDIA (JANUARY 30, 2011) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) (ORIGINALLY 4:3)

22. DEVOTEES STANDING WITH KARMAPA LAMA'S PICTURE

23. A PLACARD READING 'KARMAPA IS NOT A SPY'

24. DEVOTEES STANDING WITH CANDLES IN THEIR HANDS

25. A DEVOTEE WITH HIS CHILD

26. POSTERS READING 'KARMAPA IS INNOCENT'

27. A POSTER READING 'WE STRICTLY CONDEMN THE RIDICULOUS ACCUSATIONS AGAINST H. H. KARMAPA'

28. DEVOTEES STANDING WITH KARMAPA'S PICTURE

29. DEVOTEES

30. (SOUNDBITE) (English) JORGAY NAMKHA, KARMAPA'S FOLLOWER, SAYING: "We are protesting against what has been put across the nation without any proper investigation. Whatever has been made as far as his holiness is concerned, we still have faith in him. He is our religious head and we have complete faith towards him and we know that he is not what the TV makes him look like."

31. DEVOTEES

32. DEVOTEES STANDING WITH KARMAPA LAMA'S PICTURE

33. TWO DEVOTEES CARRYING KARMAPA LAMA'S PICTURE

STORY: Devotees of 17th Karmapa Lama carried out candle light rallies in support of the spiritual leader in India's national capital New Delhi and northeastern state of Sikkim on Sunday (January 30).

Chogyal, a follower of the Lama blamed the media of creating unnecessary issue out of a small matter.

"There are thousands of other cases but they are not highlighting them. But the media is bringing up this very small matter and trying to make it a high profile issue. That is why we have gathered here," said Chogyal.

Jamyang, one of the several devotees who gathered in the national capital to show their solidarity for their religious head said media is putting baseless allegations on Karmapa of being a Chinese spy.

"It is basically the news that has spread because of the police raid. I think it is totally a baseless allegation because until and unless media knows all the details, it cannot claim that he has Chinese links. It is to be proved if it is the truth," Jamyang said.

Hundreds of followers of the Karmapa in India's northeastern state of Sikkim also came out with candle rally to show their support for the Lama.

On Sunday evening a huge crowd gathered in Gangtok, the provincial capital showing solidarity with the Buddhist spiritual leader.

Jorgay Namkha, a Karmapa's follower blamed the media for unnecessarily highlighting the issue.

"We are protesting against what has been put across the nation without any proper investigation. Whatever has been made as far as his holiness is concerned, we still have faith in him. He is our religious head and we have complete faith towards him and we know that he is not what the TV makes him look like," said Namkha.

Sleuths of Himachal Pradesh Police had recovered considerable amount of foreign currency on Thursday (January 27).

The 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje is the third most important Tibetan spiritual leader.

According to the police, the raid was conducted at the Gyoto Tantric Monastery after they received a tip off.

Meanwhile, two persons including a close aide of Karmapa Lama were also detained for questioning.