China cannot manipulate Dalai Lama’s reincarnation: Tibetan

Himachal Pradesh: The ninth budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile for the financial year 2025-2026 is scheduled to be held from March 17 to 31. Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel and Sikyong Penpa Tsering offered prayers and prostrations to the Dalai Lama in their opening remarks of the session. The speaker began his inaugural address by speaking on the deteriorating situation in Tibet, particularly highlighting the Chinese restrictions on Tibetan students on March 10, 2025, the Tibetan National Uprising Day. He also spoke about the release of the Dalai Lama’s latest book, Voice for the Voiceless, on March 11, which received extensive coverage from major global media outlets. The book also includes the Dalai Lama’s statement that his reincarnation will take place outside China, a declaration that drew criticism from China. Emphasising that reincarnation is a deeply religious process and cannot be used as a political tool by China, the Speaker quoted an excerpt from the book: “To my fellow Tibetans: No matter how dark the sky is, never lose hope.

As our proverb goes, ‘If you fall nine times, you get up nine times.’ Always remember that there is a bright sun waiting for you behind the clouds.” He urged everyone to “never give up”. The House officially paid tributes to former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former US President Jimmy Carter aka James Earl Carter Jr. The House also officially paid tributes to former Chief Justice Commissioner and former Deputy Speaker Jadur Sonam Sangpo, former Kalon Trisur (Prime Minister) Gyalo Thondup, former Kalon (Minister) Shewo Lobsang Dhargyal, former MP Choeje Ayang Tulku Rinpoche, former MP Khortsa Sonam Damdul and former MP Kyunglung Thokme. Sikyong Penpa Tsering, the current Finance Minister of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), presented the 2025-2026 budget of the Central Tibetan Administration, proposing an amount of Rs 367.5 crore. The motion for debate on the 2025-2026 budget of the Central Tibetan Administration was moved by MP Geshe Atong Rinchen Gyaltsen and seconded by MP Tenzin Jigdal. Thereafter, MP Geshe Atong Rinchen Gyaltsen, Chairman of the 12th Public Accounts Committee (PAC), presented the report of the Committee. The House welcomed German MP Anna-Elisabeth, Kate (member of Tibet Support Group from UK) and former Parliamentary Secretary General Tsering Dorji as observers.