Nepal, July 10 -- What began as a religious celebration has rapidly snowballed into one of Nepal's most contentious diplomatic controversies in recent years, with the 91st birthday celebration of the 14th Dalai Lama igniting a fierce political debate and raising questions about the country's commitment to its long-standing One China policy.

The event, organized by Tibetan refugees and Buddhist followers at Namgyal School in Nagarjun Municipality-2 on July 6, has become the center of an escalating political storm after ambassadors and senior diplomats from several Western countries attended the celebration.

Their presence has sparked intense criticism from former diplomats, opposition leaders and left-wing politicians, who argue that th...