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11th April 2023
09:53am BST
Cardi B has hit out at the Dalai Lama after he apologised for asking a young boy to 'suck his tongue'.
The outspoken rapper shared her thoughts after footage of the Dalai Lama's interaction with the child was widely shared on Twitter over the weekend.
Taking to social media, the WAP singer said: "This world is full of predators. They prey on the innocent. The ones who are most unknowing, our children.
"Predators could be our neighbors, our school teachers, even people with money, power and our churches. Constantly talk with your kids about boundaries and what they shouldn’t allow people to do to them."
But as is the case with social media, Cardi, real name Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar Cephus, was quickly met with a backlash from many who thought she had crossed a line with her comments.
She later hit back at those criticising her and thanked her fans for the support they sent her way.
She tweeted: "Wow all this support I’m getting at the same time is beautiful. It was deep in my heart to talk about this cause me & my friend was talkin last night & then the dalai lama thing happen this morning.
"Thank you everyone..I just have to realize the people attacking me are just projecting."
Over the weekend, news footage was widely shared online of an interaction the Dalai Lama - who is the holiest figure in Tibetan Buddhism - had with a young boy at a public event in India.
The interaction took place in late February at the Dalai Lama’s temple in Dharamshala, at an event that was attended by 100 young students who had graduated from the Indian M3M Foundation, the Guardian reports.
At one point during the event, a young boy asks if he can come up and hug the Dalai Lama, who is the holiest figure in Tibetan Buddhism.
When he comes up to the front, the Dalai Lama gestures to his cheek and is heard saying “first here,” prompting the child to kiss him on the cheek and give him a hug.
The 87-year-old then says “I think here also” and kisses the boy on the lips while keeping hold of him.
He then says “and suck my tongue” sticking out his tongue. The boy sticks out his own tongue and tries to move away from the religious figure, before the Dalai Lama pulls him in for another hug and laughs along with the audience.
News footage of the interaction has been widely shared on Twitter, with many condemning it as “disgusting,” “abusive,” and “absolutely sick.”
Following the backlash to the footage, a statement was issued on the Dalai Lama's social media page.
A spokesperson apologised for the religious figure's actions but said he was just being "innocent and playful."
The statement read: “A video clip has been circulating that shows a recent meeting when a young boy asked his Holiness if he could give him a hug.
“His Holiness wishes to apologise to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused.
“His Holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras. He regrets the incident.”
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