DHARAMSHALA/NEW DELHI, July 10:
As Tibetan spiritual leader the 14th Dalai Lama marked his 90th birthday in Dharamshala, a cross-party group of Indian MPs is campaigning to confer upon him the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour.

Leading the initiative is BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar, who said that over 80 Members of Parliament have already signed a petition addressed to the Prime Minister, with the goal of crossing 100 signatures before formal submission. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has also backed the move.

China’s Interference ‘Ironical’, Says BJP MP

Responding to China’s claim that it holds authority over the recognition of the next Dalai Lama, Sujeet Kumar strongly criticized Beijing’s position.

“It is highly ironical that an atheist nation would express such strong opinions on what is purely a religious issue,” he said.

He emphasized that the process of recognizing the Dalai Lama’s successor is a centuries-old spiritual convention, and asserted that India’s stance of non-interference aligns fully with statements made by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

“There is nothing contradictory about what Mr. Rijiju and the MEA have said. Both affirm that the Dalai Lama has full rights to determine his successor without external interference,” Kumar said.

Support Grows for Honouring the Dalai Lama

The All India Parliamentary Forum for Tibet, of which Kumar is a member, continues to rally cross-party support for the spiritual leader, who is widely respected across India for his message of peace, compassion, and global harmony.

The Dalai Lama, while celebrating his birthday, also stated that he hopes to live another 40 years, reiterating his commitment to his followers.