Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has said that the next Dalai Lama will be born in a free and democratic country and definitely not in China. He said that there is no need to guess where the next Dalai Lama will be born, but one thing is clear: he will be born in a place that has democracy and freedom.

Speaking in an interview with PTI Videos on Tuesday, Khandu, who is a follower of the Dalai Lama and a Buddhist himself, said, “The next Dalai Lama will be from a free and democratic country and definitely not from China.”

However, he also added that the process of selecting the next Dalai Lama only begins after the present Dalai Lama passes away. The 14th Dalai Lama, who is now 89 years old, is in good health, he said.

"In fact, as I said, His Holiness' health is very good. And this time too, on the occasion of his 90th birthday celebration, His Holiness said that he will live to be around 130 years old. So we all pray, and I am very hopeful that he will live to be 130," Khandu said.

Khandu explained that he does not know the detailed process of selecting the next Dalai Lama but said that all rules and procedures are already in place.

"The entire rules are set, all procedures are set. There's no point in speculating about it now. There is no point now in speculating where he will be born, in which region, or whether it will be in India or Tibet. On this issue, there is only one clarity, which His Holiness has perhaps said in an interview, that the next Dalai Lama will be born in a free world," he said.

“China has no role in Dalai Lama institution,” says CM Khandu

When the Chief Minister was asked whether he was indicating that the next Dalai Lama would not be from China, he clearly replied, "Yes, definitely not from China because there is no democracy there."

He added, “So wherever there is democracy... it can be anywhere in the world where there is democracy.”

When it was pointed out that Tibet is also under Chinese rule, Khandu responded, “That is why I am not saying specifically it would be from this country or that country.” He added, “It would be a bit immature for us to say this right now. But this much is certain... where there is democracy, where people have their freedom, they can express their views. I think there is clarity on that.”

The Chief Minister also explained that the Gaden Phodrang Trust will handle the search for the 15th Dalai Lama. “The search for the 15th Dalai Lama... the entire process will begin only after the present Dalai Lama passes away. So there is no hurry in this,” he said.

Talking about China’s objection to the Dalai Lama succession issue, Khandu said, “I don't know why China is objecting to it. They must have their own policy. There is no Dalai Lama institution in China. The Dalai Lama institution is recognised mainly in the Himalayan belt and by the Tibetan Buddhists. China has no role in it.”

He also mentioned that the institution of the Dalai Lama has continued for more than 600 years, from the first Dalai Lama to the current 14th.

“There was speculation about whether the Dalai Lama institution would continue and if the next Dalai Lama could be a woman. Before the 90th birthday of the 14th Dalai Lama, all heads of Buddhist traditions met and confirmed the institution will continue,” he said.

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