• Footage captured the unsettling interaction between the boy and spiritual leader
  • The uncomfortable video has sparked widespread outrage across social media
  • Tibetan Buddhist leader’s office issued an apology today in response to criticism

The Dalai Lama has apologised after an unsettling video appeared on social media in which he kissed a young Indian boy on the lips before asking him to ‘suck’ his tongue.

Footage of the uncomfortable incident showed the moment the Tibetan spiritual leader invited the boy on stage during a charity event at his temple in Dharamshala, India in February.

In the video, the boy asks the Dalai Lama ‘can I hug you?’, to which Tenzin Gyatso responds: ‘Okay – come!’

The spiritual leader first asks the boy to kiss him on the cheek, before pointing at his lips. He holds the boy’s face as they briefly kiss, then the pair press their foreheads together.

Just as the boy goes to pull away, the Dalai Lama instructs him: ‘And suck my tongue’ – prompting him to slowly inch forward towards the 87-year-old’s outstretched tongue.

Attendees of the event, held by India‘s M3M Foundation, can be heard laughing as the boy sits awkwardly in front of the aged Tibetan Buddhist leader and nervously follows his orders.

Before letting the child go, the Dalai Lama imparts some wisdom, telling him to ‘look to those good human beings who create peace, happiness’ and not to ‘follow those human beings who always kill other people’.

Some supporters of the Dalai Lama sprang to his defence, claiming their leader was simply ‘joking around’.

But the clip has sparked outrage on social media, with commentators branding the Dalai Lama’s actions ‘scandalous’, ‘disgusting’ and ‘absolutely sick’.

Others went as far as to describe him as an ‘insidious false prophet’.

‘Utterly shocked to see this display by the #DalaiLama. In the past too, he’s had to apologise for his sexist comments. But saying “now suck my tongue” to a small boy is disgusting,’ wrote user Sangita.

Another poster, Rakhi Tripathi, said: ‘What did I just see? What that child must be feeling? Disgusting.’