Srinagar: In a major embarrassment to prominent religious scholar and ‘Art of Living’ founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, people raised pro-freedom slogans while he was delivering a speech at an event held here today in Srinagar. The protesting audience left midway alleging that they were tricked into participating in the programme.
In the event ‘Paigham-e-Mohabbat’ held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) lawns, people started to leave the venue once Sri Sri started to deliver a lecture. The speech was cut short to 7 minutes and the spiritual guru was forced to leave the venue.
The people alleged they did not know that Ravi Shankar was to speak there and were invited to the programme on a completely different pretext.
“We reached here early in the morning. We were told that we will be given jobs and some management company is giving training here,” a group of youth from Pantha Chowk area of the city said.
Later, talking to reporters Ravi Shankar said he had come to Kashmir to hear the people. “I will be meeting several delegations, including victims of violence. I will hear them over the next two days and I want to create a wave of happiness and an atmosphere of love in Kashmir,” he said.
It is pertinent to mention that uneasy calm prevails in the valley after 6 civilians were killed allegedly by army in Shopian district.
If wishes were horses…..mere lofty smooth-talking will not heal lifetime wounds.
The people need suitable jobs, dignity, humanitarian justice and freedom in a real empowered democracy….to heal them to a progressive peaceful society–rightful state of India.
Sri Ravi Krishna is absolutely the wrong person to ‘ create a wave of happiness and an atmosphere of love’. Going by his looks alone he doesn’t personify either happiness or love.