DHARAMSHALA, July 3: Union Minister for Parliamentary and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Thursday strongly affirmed that only the Dalai Lama himself has the authority to decide on his successor, dismissing any external interference in the matter. His statement comes ahead of the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday celebrations in Dharamshala, amid growing global attention and renewed tensions with China over the issue of succession.

Speaking to reporters during his visit to Himachal Pradesh, Rijiju emphasized that the successor of the 14th Dalai Lama will be chosen strictly as per Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the spiritual leader’s own wishes, a position that counters China’s repeated assertions that it holds authority over the reincarnation process.

“The process will follow established convention. Nobody except the Dalai Lama himself can decide his successor,” Rijiju said. He, along with Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan, is slated to attend the July 6 birthday celebrations as official representatives of the Government of India.

The statement also aligns with a recent clarification issued by the Dalai Lama himself on July 2. The Tibetan spiritual leader reiterated that only the Gaden Phodrang Trust, established by him, has the sole authority to recognise future reincarnations. “No one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter,” he said, indirectly rejecting China’s claim to control the succession process.

According to the Dalai Lama’s statement, the recognition of a future Dalai Lama must be carried out “in accordance with past tradition,” and should involve consultation with the heads of Tibetan Buddhist traditions and Dharma Protectors linked to the lineage.

Meanwhile, the celebrations in Dharamshala have also drawn global supporters of the Tibetan cause, including Hollywood actor and longtime activist Richard Gere, who shared a heartfelt anecdote from one of his meetings with the Dalai Lama. “This is not a commitment for one lifetime… it’s for many lifetimes,” he said, adding that the Tibetan people have endured decades of oppression under China’s rule.

In contrast, China’s Foreign Ministry has once again maintained that any reincarnation of the Dalai Lama must be approved by Beijing, a stance widely rejected by the Tibetan community and democratic governments around the world.