Amid China's warning, Kiren Rijiju says all devotees want Dalai Lama to decide on his successor

Rijiju clarified that he was not making the remarks on behalf of the Indian government and neither was he commenting on a statement made by China, rejecting the Dalai Lama's succession plan.

New Delhi: Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju reiterated on Friday that all the devotees and followers of the Dalai Lama want that the Tibetan spiritual leader himself should decide on his successor.

Rijiju, however, clarified that he was not making the remarks on behalf of the Indian government and neither was he commenting on a statement made by China, rejecting the Dalai Lama's succession plan.

"There is no need for any confusion on the Dalai Lama issue. All the people across the world who believe in Buddhism and follow the Dalai Lama want him to decide (on his succession). There is no need for me or the government to say anything. Who would be the next Dalai Lama, it will be decided by him," Rijiju told reporters here.

Asked about China's statement on the issue, he said, "I do not want to react to China's statement. I speak as a devotee, I have faith in the Dalai Lama, those who follow the Dalai Lama wish that he decides his successor."

Ahead of his 90th birthday, the Tibetan spiritual leader has affirmed that the sacred institution of the Dalai Lama will continue and only the Gaden Phodrang Trust will have the authority to recognise his future "reincarnation", declaring that no one else can "interfere" in his succession plan.

The statement of the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, ended speculation on whether he will have a successor or not after his death. The Gaden Phodrang Trust, a non-profit organisation, was founded by the Office of the Dalai Lama in 2015.

China rejected the Nobel Peace laureate's succession plan, insisting that any future heir must receive its seal of approval, adding a new chapter to Tibetan Buddhism's decades-long struggle with the Chinese ruling Communist Party.

The statement made by the 14th Dalai Lama, who is also called Lhama Thondup, on May 21 was released by his office on Wednesday, four days ahead of his birthday on Sunday.

On Thursday also, Rijiju had asserted that the decision on the Dalai Lama's incarnation would be taken by the established institution and the leader of the Tibetan Buddhists himself and no one else.

Talking to reporters here, the Union minister had said the Dalai Lama is the "most important and defining institution" for Buddhists.

"All those who follow the Dalai Lama feel that the incarnation is to be decided by the established convention and as per the wish of the Dalai Lama himself. No one else has the right to decide it except him and the conventions in place," he had said.