BJP MP raises demand in Lok Sabha for Bharat Ratna to Dalai Lama

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Arunachal Pradesh Tapir Gao on Wednesday (July 30, 2025) asked the Central government to confer India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, on the Dalai Lama – the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhists.

He raised the issue during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, where he described the Dalai Lama as a “messenger of non violence and compassion.”

“India is the land of non-violence. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a messenger of non-violence and compassion. The government of India should recognise his contributions by awarding him the Bharat Ratna,” Mr Gao said. He added that the Dalai Lama, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday on July 6 had made “unparalleled contributions not just to Buddhism but also to humanity as a whole.”

Symbol of peace

“Today, the Dalai Lama is not just a religious figure but also a symbol of peace across the world. His teachings have shaped generations and he deserves the Bharat Ratna,” the MP said.

The Dalai Lama marked his 90th birthday with the declaration that the Gaden Phodrang Trust will decide his successor, a statement that drew an adverse reaction from the Chinese government. The Chinese government, in a statement, had said, “The reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, the Panchen Lama and other great Buddhist figures must be chosen by drawing lots from a golden urn, and approved by the central government.”

Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju had endorsed the Dalai Lama’s position, but the Indian government had said that the “Government of India does not take any position or speak on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion.”

This is not the first time that the demand for a Bharat Ratna to the Dalai Lama has come up. Another BJP MP, Sujeet Kumar from Odisha, who is part of the All India Parliamentary Forum for Tibet, had told The Hindu that he was collecting support from parliamentarians across party lines to present the demand to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. By mid July they had collected 80 signatures in support of the move.