China has no right to be involved in choosing the next Dalai Lama, especially since the Chinese government does not believe in religion, and succession is purely a spiritual matter for the Tibetan people, the head of the Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh. he said.
Gyangbang Rinpoche, the abbot of the nearly 350-year-old monastery near India’s border with China, also said it was important to counter Beijing’s policy of expansionism and New Delhi should keep a close watch on it. line of actual control (LAC) with the neighboring country.
The head of the world’s second largest monastery after the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, said only the current Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people have the right to decide on the Tibetan spiritual leader’s succession and that China has no role in the matter. Is. .
“The Chinese government does not believe in religion. How can a government that does not believe in religion decide the next Dalai Lama? Succession planning is a matter of religion and faith; This is not a political issue,” he said. PTI in an interview.
“China also has no right to be involved in the process of choosing the next Dalai Lama. Only the current Dalai Lama and his followers have the right to decide on this issue.
The remarks by the abbot of the monastery, located in the territory claimed by China, come amid tensions in relations between the two countries following the eastern Ladakh border standoff. India maintains that its Arunachal Pradesh state is an integral and inseparable part of the country.
Rinpoche said the Tibetan people will never accept any decision by China on the issue and Beijing’s attempt to get involved is part of efforts to “capture” the Tibetan heritage and “control” the Tibetan people.
“It will be difficult for China to win over the hearts of the people of Tibet. China has a tight control over Tibet. The authorities do not even allow people from outside to meet Tibetans. There are so many restrictions. It is important that a country like India respects Tibetans. support.”
The issue of the successor of the 14th Dalai Lama, who has lived in exile in Dharamsala in India since 1959, turned 86 in July. The Dalai Lama is believed to be a living Buddha who is reborn after his death.
China has been insisting that the selection of the next Dalai Lama has to be decided within Chinese territory and that it has to have its say in the matter.
Referring to China’s aggressive stand on the LAC, Rinpoche said that though India believes in peace and prosperity, its approach to deal with such militancy should be based on ground reality. “India believes in peace and prosperity. India does not like to fight or hate against any country. India believes in living in peace with the countries it borders.
India needs to keep a close watch on the border. Though India believes in peace and prosperity, its approach should be based on ground realities. Areas like Tawang and Ladakh are part of India.”
The religious leader said that it is important to counter China’s policy of expansionism.
Beijing has in the past accused the Dalai Lama of engaging in “separatist” activities and trying to divide Tibet and regards him as a divisive figure.
However, the Tibetan spiritual leader has insisted that he is not seeking independence under a “middle-way approach” but “real autonomy for all Tibetans living in Tibet’s three traditional provinces”.
Chinese government officials and the Dalai Lama or his representatives have not met in formal talks since 2010.
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