Residents haul water up to the rooftop on Sunday as they are not allowed to leave their homes in Lhasa. (Reuters)Smoke covers the centre of Lhasa, hiding the landmark Potala Palace. (AP)

New Delhi, March 16: India’s statement following the violent protests in Lhasa mark a break with its tradition of being extra cautious on the Tibet dispute.

Delhi’s stress on “dialogue and non-violence” to solve the “causes” of the unrest almost amounts to a call for talks between Beijing and the Dalai Lama, sources said.

Although the foreign office balanced its remarks yesterday by repeating the old stand that Indian territory cannot be used for “anti-China protests”, Beijing is unlikely to appreciate the overall statement.

The sources said that India, a democracy that upholds the ideals of non-violence, could not avoid taking a position on the bloody events that have led to the deaths of “innocent people” in the Tibetan capital.

“We are distressed by reports of the unsettled situation and violence in Lhasa, and by the deaths of innocent people,” the foreign ministry spokesperson said.

“We would hope that all those involved will work to improve the situation and remove the causes of such trouble in Tibet, which is an autonomous region of China, through dialogue and non-violent means.”

The emphasis on dialogue will discomfit China whose previous talks with the exiled monk — in Beijing’s eyes the main agent stirring “instability” in Tibet — yielded nothing substantial.

The Chinese have alleged that the current unrest has been “organised, premeditated and masterminded” by the Dalai Lama, whom India hosts.

Which is why India’s reiteration that it “will not permit anyone to use its territory for anti-China political activities” was a crucial balancing act, the sources said.

India continues to witness daily anti-China protests by Tibetans in exile, with small groups trying to march into Tibet.

Hours after the Centre’s near-call for China to talk with him, the Dalai Lama was quoted by PTI as saying that Delhi was “too cautious” on the Tibet dispute. He, however, acknowledged that India had its own limitations in dealing with China.

Speaking in McLeodganj, Himachal Pradesh, the 73-year-old Buddhist spiritual leader said that Delhi held “hostile views” on certain actions by Tibetans, but added that “we should not pick up one particular incident”. He did not elaborate.

Delhi has for years been fearful of rubbing a “friendly” China the wrong way on the touchy subject of Tibet.

The Centre had asked its ministers last November to stay away from a function where the Dalai Lama was honoured for receiving the Congressional gold medal, America’s highest civilian award.

A letter sent by the cabinet secretary had made it clear to the ministers that the felicitation was “not in conformity with the country’s foreign policy” and so did not warrant the presence of any cabinet member.