States » NorthPosted at: Jul 6 2025 2:09AM


Rijiju attends Dalai Lama’s birthday celebrations in Dharamshala amid Chinese ire

Dharamshala, July 5 (UNI) In a move seen as a bold reaffirmation of India’s support for religious freedom, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju arrived here today to attend the birthday celebrations of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama at the Main Tibetan Temple.
Rijiju, a practising Buddhist from Arunachal Pradesh was warmly received alongside other dignitaries including Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu, Ladakh’s CEC Tashi Gyalson, and Sikkim’s Minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs Sonam Lama.
His presence during the long-life prayer offerings for the Dalai Lama at Tsuglagkhang Kalachakra Temple was not just symbolic, but a strong statement of cultural and spiritual solidarity.
The Dalai Lama birthday is celebrated on July 6 every year.
Rijiju’s participation, especially in a ceremony presided over by leading Tibetan spiritual masters and attended by oracles and representatives of Tibetan Buddhist sects, carried significant diplomatic weight.
His presence has added a layer of political sensitivity, especially amid China's disapproval of the Dalai Lama's presence in India and the importance accorded to the Tibetan spiritual leader, who is held in high reverence among Buddhists in the Tibet Autonomous Region. China considers the Dalai Lama as promoting secessionism.
China's foreign ministry had issued a stern warning recently, and asked India to refrain from interfering in what it calls “China’s internal affairs,” and cited the “anti-China separatist nature” of the Tibetan leader.
India has, however, stood firm. In a measured response, the Ministry of External Affairs reiterated that the government does not interfere in matters of faith and that India’s position on religious freedom remains unchanged.
Despite the geopolitical tremors, the celebrations saw overwhelming public participation and spiritual unity.
Rijiju, revered among followers of Tibetan Buddhism, attended as a disciple rather than a government minister, underscoring the wide cultural embrace the Dalai Lama commands—from Ladakh to Myanmar and across India’s multi-religious landscape.
It is worthwhile to mention that the way the Tibetan Spiritual Leader declared his spiritual successor being selected by him from outside the Chinese controlled Tibet and from among the Tibetan Spiritual lineage in the free world has agitated Beijing, which issued a stern warning to India cautioning it not to meddle with the internal matter of China.
In a country where religious pluralism is a constitutional pillar, Rijiju’s presence reinforced the spiritual ties India shares with the Tibetan traditions—and served as a subtle yet potent reminder that the Dalai Lama’s influence transcends borders and political warnings.
UNI ML RN
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