Indian politicians lack Mahatma Gandhiji's spirit: Dalai Lama

Indian politicians lack the spirit of great freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said today.

Delivering a lecture in Goa, the Dalai Lama recalled that he was invited when a huge statue of Mahatma Gandhi was installed infront of the Parliament.

"I am not a politician but at that time I had told Indian politicians that they must remember about Gandhiji's truthfulness," he said.

The Nobel laureate said that Indian freedom fighters had worked selflessly and fearlessly for the country.

"They did their work honestly," he said, adding that although India got independence 60 years ago, "the current politicians lacked spirit of these freedom fighters."

He said that compared to other nations, India was stable because of democracy and independent judiciary.

"If people involved in justice are even little corrupt then it would be a disaster for the nation," he added.     

During his two hour long lecture, which was part of a series of addresses in memory of late Buddhist scholar DD Kosambe organised by the Goa government, the Dalai Lama also asked the media to play a responsible role.

"People in media have a special role to play. They can stop the wrong doings," he said and added that media should have a long nose like an elephant and should be able to smell things which are beyond the superficial reality.

"Investigate what's going on thoroughly and inform people in unbiased form," the spiritual leader advised.