The 87-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader says he 'regrets the exchange.'
The Dalai Lama has released an apology after a video surfaced in which the Tibetan spiritual leader kisses a young boy on the lips and asks him to "suck my tongue" at a public event.
The incident took place back in February in Dharamshala, India. The video -- which quickly spread online and has garnered millions of views -- first shows the boy asking the 87-year-old for a hug.
The Dalai Lama then gestures to his cheek, prompting the boy to give him a quick peck. The leader then asks for a kiss on the lips and is seen pulling the boy's chin toward him to do so.
Next, the Dalai Lama asks the boy to "suck my tongue," and the crowd around them is heard laughing and clapping.
An apology statement posted to the Dalai Lama's official Instagram account on Monday, reads, "A video clip has been circulating that shows a recent meeting when a young boy asked his Holiness the Dalai Lama 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," the statement adds.
The Dalai Lama says that though the incident was "playful," he "regrets" the exchange.
The statement continued, saying the leader "often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras. He regrets the incident."
The Dalai Lama currently lives in the Northern Indian town of Dharamshala. He fled Tibet in 1959 after an attempted uprising against Chinese rule. The Nobel Peace Laureate has gained global attention for being an outspoken leader in linguistic and cultural autonomy.
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