Dalai Lama apologises after remark on Jawaharlal Nehru

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has expressed regret over his recent statement on Jawaharlal Nehru in which he called the former Prime Minister as "self-centred".

"My statement has created controversy, I apologise if I said something wrong," he said.

The Dalai Lama had said that India and Pakistan would have remained one if Pt Nehru had humbly accepted Mahatma Gandhi's choice of Muhammed Ali Jinnah as the country's first prime minister.

"When I heard that Gandhi ji was against the partition, I felt pity... There are more Muslims in India than in Pakistan. But past is past," the 83-year-old spiritual leader said today.

The Dalai Lama was interacting with students in Goa when responding to a question from a student about one's decisions, their ramifications and how one can avoid making mistakes in life, he said, "Mahatma Gandhi wanted to give the prime ministership to (Mohammad Ali) Jinnah. But Nehru refused. He was self-centred. He said, 'I wanted to be Prime Minister'. India and Pakistan would have been united (had Jinnah been made Prime Minister at the time). Pandit Nehru was wise and experienced. But mistakes do happen."

So the responsibility is on your shoulder. Analyse, ask, then take decision, he advised students at the seminar on Wednesday.