The Dalai Lama has issued an apology following the release of a disturbing video on social media, in which he is seen kissing a young Indian boy on the lips and asking him to “suck” his tongue.

The incident occurred during a charity event at his temple in Dharamshala, India, in February, and the footage has since gone viral.

In the video, the boy asked the Dalai Lama if he could hug him, to which Tenzin Gyatso, the Tibetan spiritual leader, responded, “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, the Daily Mail reported.

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, as reported by the Daily Mail.

Several advocates of the Dalai Lama rushed to his aid, asserting that their leader was merely ‘making a joke.’

Nonetheless, the video has generated a significant amount of indignation on various social media platforms.

Commentators have characterized the Dalai Lama’s conduct as ‘outrageous,’ ‘disgusting,’ and ‘totally repugnant.’

Some individuals have even gone so far as to label him an “false prophet.”

Written by staff