Latest news with #Tibet-related
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Kiren Rijiju, Pema Khandu attend Dalai Lama birthday celebrations; visit amid India-China war of words over spiritual leader's 'successor'
NEW DELHI: Union minister and Arunachal Pradesh chief minister attended the birthday celebrations of the 14th Dalai Lama in Himachal Pradesh's Dharamshala on Saturday, days after the Tibetan spiritual leader's about a succession plan prompted a war of words between China and India. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Dalai Lama will turn 90 on Sunday. He resides at the Tsuglagkhang, the main Tibetan temple in Dharamshala. Rijiju's visit to greet the spiritual leader comes a day after China asked India to handle Tibet-related issues with "caution," saying this could affect efforts to improve bilateral relations. These remarks by a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson followed Rijiju's statement that the Dalai Lama's "reincarnation" should be decided "according to his own wishes." The Union minister's statement was in response to the Chinese asserting earlier this week that the selection process for the spiritual leader's successor should be through a process "approved" by Beijing. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday that India did not have "any position" on the process of selecting the next Dalai Lama. "We have seen reports about His Holiness the Dalai Lama's statement on the continuation of the Dalai Lama institution. The Government of India does not take any position or speak on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion. The government has always upheld freedom of religion for all in India and will continue to do so," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters at a media briefing in New Delhi. The current Dalai Lama recently said that his successor would be chosen by the India-based Gaden Phodrang Trust — a non-profit organisation he set up — and not by any other authority. This statement was seen as a message to China.
The Print
15 hours ago
- Politics
- The Print
Battle over Dalai Lama's reincarnation is a geopolitical contest with global implications
In the larger gamut of tumultuous India-China relations, the Dalai Lama has been a constant contention for China. The fresh announcement has riled up China that has long accused India of giving the Dalai Lama refuge. And that is why it is ThePrint's Newsmaker of the Week. Ahead of his 90th birthday this week, the Dalai Lama made a much-awaited announcement: the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue after his death, and his 2015 Trust, Gaden Phodrang Trust, shall have the sole authority to identify his successor. China is fuming over this declaration. It has swiftly rejected the claim, insisting the successor must be 'approved by the central government'. Eighty-eight years after the 14th Dalai Lama was identified as the next spiritual and political head of Tibetan Buddhists, a succession battle has reignited a decades–old spiritual, political, and global flashpoint over freedom, faith, and frontier disputes. The Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, on Thursday rejected China's claims, asserting that only the Dalai Lama has the authority to determine his successor. China, in response, urged India to handle Tibet-related matters with caution, objecting to Rijiju's remarks. India's Ministry of External Affairs appeared to distance itself from Rijiju's remarks, emphasising that the government 'doesn't take any position or speak on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion'. China asserts that its control over Tibet dates back to the 13th century, during the Yuan dynasty, though this claim is disputed. Chinese authority was established in the region in the 1950s, and since 1959, the People's Republic of China (PRC) has governed Tibet directly. Today, Tibet is officially recognised—both domestically and internationally—as part of the PRC, and is designated as the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). Beijing, therefore, claims the right to approve all high-level reincarnations within Tibetan Buddhism, including that of the Dalai Lama. In making the claim, China cites a tradition dating back to the Qing dynasty in 1793, when a golden urn ritual was introduced to select high-ranking lamas. The Dalai Lama has long challenged this claim. In 1969, he asserted that only the Tibetan people should decide the institution's future. After stepping down from political duties in 2011, he reaffirmed that the selection of his successor rests entirely with the Tibetan religious community. A legacy forged in exile China and Tibet have a long history of conflict. Tibet is seen as strategically vital to China, and it also acted as a buffer zone between British India and China. In the early 20th century, when Britain asserted influence in the region, China feared that an ungoverned Tibet could grow closer to India, with which Tibet shares deep cultural and religious ties. India has historically been a spiritual and cultural beacon for Tibetans, being the birthplace of Buddhism and a sanctuary for the Dalai Lamas. Born in 1935 in what is now China's Qinghai province, the Dalai Lama was recognised at the age of two as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama. In March 1959, when a national uprising against Chinese rule was violently suppressed, the Dalai Lama fled Lhasa and crossed into India through Khenzimane in present-day Arunachal Pradesh. By 1960, the Indian government, under Jawaharlal Nehru, had settled him in McLeodganj, Dharamshala, where he established the Tibetan government-in-exile. Over the following seven decades, he became a symbol of hope and resilience for generations of Tibetans living in exile, serving first as their political leader and later as the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism. China views control over the next Dalai Lama as critical to cementing its authority over Tibet. While he has long advocated a 'middle way' seeking autonomy, not independence, Beijing still labels him a 'separatist' and a 'wolf in monk's clothes'. Following the Dalai Lama's death, there is traditionally a 49-day period during which his consciousness is believed to be in transition, searching for a new form, often human. After this period, the search for his reincarnation begins, a process that can take several years. This responsibility lies with a close circle of monks, as part of his trust, who have served the Dalai Lama. Once they identify a potential reincarnation, they consult with senior monks to gather their opinions. The present Dalai Lama has consistently said his reincarnation should be located in a free country, and any process under Beijing's control should be considered invalid. Many Tibetans fear that once the Dalai Lama dies, Beijing will attempt to install a state-approved successor in order to legitimise its control over Tibetan Buddhism and suppress Tibetan identity. Their fears are not unfounded. In 1995, after the current Dalai Lama identified a six-year-old boy as the 11th Panchen Lama—the second-highest spiritual figure in Tibetan Buddhism—the child was taken into custody by Chinese authorities and has not been seen since. This year, the Chinese-appointed Panchen Lama publicly expressed allegiance to the Chinese Communist Party during a meeting with President Xi Jinping. In his book, Voice for the Voiceless, the Dalai Lama warned Tibetans to reject any successor 'chosen for political ends', especially by the Chinese government, and said his next incarnation would likely be born outside China. Also read: For India and China, 2025 is a year of managed contestations, not breakthrough in ties Global stakes The US, too, in order to counter China, has long supported Tibet's right to self-determination. In June 2024, the US Congress passed the Resolve Tibet Act, calling for direct dialogue with Tibetan leaders, recognising Tibetans' right to self-determination, and countering Chinese disinformation about Tibet. The same month, a US congressional delegation met the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala and pledged to defend Tibetan religious freedom. Beijing, however, dismissed the law, reiterating that Tibet is an 'inseparable part of China' and warning against foreign interference. The Dalai Lama's announcement now sets the stage for a critical confrontation over Tibetan religious identity and political autonomy. The battle over his reincarnation is no longer just a matter of theology, it is now a geopolitical contest with global implications. Although China officially upholds atheism, particularly within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which typically bars members from practicing religion, it remains overtly involved in regulating religious practices across the country. Views are personal. (Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)
Yomiuri Shimbun
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Indian Minister Backs Dalai Lama's Position on Successor, Contradicting China
DHARAMSHALA, India, July 4 (Reuters) – A senior Indian minister has said that only the Dalai Lama and the organization he has set up have the authority to identify his successor as the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism, in a rare comment contradicting rival China's long-held position. The Dalai Lama, who fled to India in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, said on Wednesday that upon his death he would be reincarnated as the next spiritual leader and that only the Gaden Phodrang Trust would be able to identify his successor. He previously said the person would be born outside China. Beijing says it has the right to approve the Dalai Lama's successor as a legacy from imperial times. Kiren Rijiju, India's minister of parliamentary and minority affairs, made a rare statement on the matter on Thursday, ahead of visiting the Dalai Lama's base in the northern Indian town of Dharamshala for the religious leader's 90th birthday on Sunday. 'No one has the right to interfere or decide who the successor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be,' Indian media quoted Rijiju as telling reporters. 'Only he or his institution has the authority to make that decision. His followers believe that deeply. It's important for disciples across the world that he decides his succession.' Rijiju, a practicing Buddhist, will be joined by other Indian officials at the birthday celebrations. In response to the remarks, China's foreign ministry warned India on Friday against interfering in its domestic affairs at the expense of bilateral relations, urging it to be prudent in its words and actions. 'We hope the Indian side will fully understand the highly sensitive nature of Tibet-related issues, recognize the anti-China separatist nature of the 14th Dalai Lama,' spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular press conference. In a statement issued late on Friday afternoon, India's foreign ministry said the country does not take any position or speak on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion. 'Government has always upheld freedom of religion for all in India and will continue to do so,' foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in the statement. India is estimated to be home to tens of thousands of Tibetan Buddhists who are free to study and work there. Many Indians revere the Dalai Lama, and international relations experts say his presence in India gives New Delhi a measure of leverage with China. Relations between India and China nosedived after a deadly border clash in 2020 but are slowly improving now.
Hans India
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
China warns India against interfering in Tibet matters
Beijing: China hopes India will stop using Tibet issues to interfere in domestic affairs and avoid affecting the development of ties, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday. The Chinese ministry was responding to Union minister Kiren Rijiju's comments on the Dalai Lama succession issue stating that Lama's trust has the authority to identify his successor as the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism, in a rare comment contradicting China's long-held position. Mao Ning, the spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, warned India against interfering in its domestic affairs at the expense of bilateral relations, urging it to be prudent in its words and actions. "We hope the Indian side will fully understand the highly sensitive nature of Tibet-related issues, recognise the anti-China separatist nature of the 14th Dalai Lama," the spokesperson said. Beijing says it has the right to approve the Dalai Lama's successor as a legacy from imperial times ever since the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader announced his reincarnation earlier this week. The Dalai Lama insists that his successor will be born in a "free" country and urges his followers to reject any candidate appointed by Beijing. The Chinese government says it has the sole authority to name his successor. 'No one has the right to interfere or decide who the successor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be,' the Rijiju said in a statement. Rijiju, a practising Buddhist, was set to join the Dalai Lama's birthday celebrations this weekend in the Himalayan town of Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh state. The Dalai Lama, born Lhamo Dhondup, has been living in Dharamshala since 1959 when he fled Lhasa to escape the Chinese annexation. His escape to India sparked a wave of Tibetan exile and the formation of a government-in-exile in Dharamshala. The Dalai Lama says he wants to visit Tibet one last time before he dies but only if Chinese authorities guarantee his return to India. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said he could visit but would have to stay in Tibet and 'openly recognise that Tibet and Taiwan are inalienable parts of China'. Relations between India and China nosedived after a deadly clash between border guards in 2020 but lately appeared to be on the mend.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Act Cautiously Or…': China Warns India After Minister Backs Dalai Lama On Succession Plans
China's foreign ministry warned India to act cautiously after Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju supported Dalai Lama on succession plans. 'We hope the Indian side can fully recognize the high sensitivity of Tibet-related issues, clearly understand the anti-China and separatist nature of the 14th Dalai Lama, honor its commitments on Tibet-related matters, act with caution and stop using Tibet-related issues to interfere in China's internal affairs so as to avoid undermining the improvement and development of China-India relations,' spokesperson Mao Ning said. The MEA responded to China's warning. Watch.
