India Says Does Not Take Position on Faith, Religion

India on Friday said it does not take any position on matters concerning faith and religion, two days after the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, unveiled a plan for choosing his successor that has been rejected by China.

- AGENCIES

Ahead of his 90th birthday on Sunday, the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso had on Wednesday affirmed that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue and that only the Gaden Phodrang Trust will have the sole authority to recognise his future "reincarnation", declaring no one else can "interfere" in his succession plan. The Gaden Phodrang Trust was founded by the current Dalai Lama in 2015 to oversee matters related to the 600-year-old institution of the Dalai Lama.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Indian government has always upheld freedom of religion for all in the country and will continue to do so.

"We have seen reports relating to the statement made by His Holiness the Dalai Lama about the continuation of the Dalai Lama institution," he said.

"The government of India does not take any position or speak on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion," Jaiswal added.