Dalai Lama's succession plan: China warns India against interference after Union Minister Rijiju backs his authority

Indian Express

2 days ago

After the Dalai Lama said that only the Gaden Phodrang Trust, established by him, had the authority to identify his successor, China, in a strong statement, said it hopes India will stop using Tibet issues to interfere in domestic affairs and avoid affecting the development of ties, according to news agency Reuters.
The Chinese foreign ministry's statement Friday highlights the rising geopolitical tension over the future of Tibetan leadership.
This came after Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said: 'No one has the right to interfere or decide who the successor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be.' He was speaking ahead of his visit to the Dalai Lama's base in Dharamshala for the religious leader's 90th birthday on Sunday.
'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 added.
To this, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters: '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.'
She further urged India to avoid interfering in China's internal affairs 'at the expense of bilateral relations.'
Beijing maintain that it has the sole right to approve the Dalai Lama's successor, calling it a legacy of imperial authority. India's support for the Dalai Lama's decision marks a rare public contradiction of that claim.
On Wednesday, the Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, confirmed that he would reincarnate. He also stated that his successor would be born in the 'free world.'
His succession announcement has not dispelled concerns among the Tibetan exile community in Dharamshala, home to more than 20,000 Tibetans and the headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile.
'The absence of His Holiness would be a huge setback for the Tibetans,' said Penpa Tsering, president of the government-in-exile. 'The responsibility lies on us as to how we carry forward the legacy of His Holiness.'
Tibetans see the Dalai Lama not only as a spiritual leader but also as a symbol of their struggle for cultural preservation and autonomy from Chinese rule.
Traditionally, senior monks identify the next Dalai Lama through visions, signs, and spiritual consultations. The current Dalai Lama has hinted he may leave written instructions or even name a successor before his death — a step meant to prevent political interference from Beijing.
(With inputs from AP, Reuters)