Shimla

Members of the Tibetan community in Shimla on Wednesday went on a 24-hour hunger strike demanding the withdrawal of a Chinese law aimed at cultural assimilation of ethnic minorities.

Enacted on July 1, 2026, the ‘Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress’ is a Chinese statute that legally enforces a shared national identity and shifts state policy toward the cultural assimilation of ethnic minorities.

The law has come under fire from global rights bodies, which say it can be used to justify forced assimilation in regions like Tibet and Xinjiang.

The demonstrators under the banner of ‘Tibetan Women's Association’ said that similar protests had already been held at other locations, and a candle march would be organised on completion of 49 days of the protest on August 20.

The agitators said the protest aims to create awareness about the law among the Tibetans, and appealed to the international community to raise their voice against it for the preservation of Tibetan language and culture.

Extending support to the cause, Himachal Pradesh BJP spokesman Karan Nanda said it was not only a geo-political issue but it also concerned the Tibetan language, culture and identity.

Self immolation by a Tibetan youth in front of the United Nations headquarters on July 2 to draw the attention towards the cause of the Tibetan community should not be taken lightly as the new law aims to promote the use of Chinese language in official documents and limit the use of Tibetan language, Nanda said.

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Stating that Himachal Pradesh and Tibet share centuries-old cultural ties, the BJP leader said India should support the demand on national and international platforms.