And the show goes on – with Modi on WCF dais

AoL extravaganza begins amid heavy showers

GN Bureau | March 11, 2016


#NGT   #religion   #culture   #environment   #Yamuna   #Delhi   #World Culture Festival   #Art of Living   #Narendra Modi   #Sri Sri Ravi Shankar  
Sri Sri Ravishankar and PM Narendra Modi at the inaugation of the World Culture Festival
Sri Sri Ravishankar and PM Narendra Modi at the inaugation of the World Culture Festival

Activists, courts, and finally even the rain could not stop Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s World Culture Festival. Prime minister Narendra Modi too ignored alerts about its rickety dais and attended the inauguration of the three-day event in the Yamuna flood plains. 

In a symbolic development open to interpretation, an unseasonal drizzle started in the afternoon, developing into heavy showers just when the show was scheduled for the start at 5 pm Friday afternoon, but the organisers bravely went on, participating artists covered themselves with polythene sheets, and the dignitaries on the dais – including justice RC Lahoti who delivered the welcome – too were given protection against weather.

Rains and thunderstorms unsettled quite a few people at the venue. The Indian meteorological department (IMD) had predicted heavy rain and thunderstorm for this weekend. A brief spell of shower failed to dampen the spirit of the participants who ran looking for shade. Heavy gusts of winds also blew away some plastic furniture.

Meanwhile, protests continue over the venue chosen for hosting the festival. The national green tribunal (NGT) had fined Rs AoL 5 crore for not adhering to guidelines issued by Delhi development authority (DDA). It had asked AoL to deposit the fine by Friday 4 pm. But it relaxed its rules and has allowed them to deposit Rs 25 lakh by Friday. The remaining amount can be deposit within the next four weeks.






 

Comments

 

Other News

A right she cannot reach

Last summer, the two of us spent several weeks in rural Madhya Pradesh with a non-profit that works on gender justice through women’s self-help groups. We went in with a notebook full of laws. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act. The Dowry Prohibition Act. Free legal aid for every wo

Tier-2 cities lead India’s digital credit push

Digital payments have become a reflex for urban India, but the confidence earned in paying has not yet carried over to borrowing. That is the central finding of `How Urban India Pays Report 2026`, released by Pahlé India Foundation in collaboration with Amazon Pay. Based on a survey of 5,149 consu

India calls for doubling bilateral trade with UK by 2030

Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal has called upon businesses in India and the United Kingdom to translate the opportunities created by the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) into expanded trade, investment, partnerships and job creation. Addressing the Bu

Gandhian movement after Gandhi failed: Ram Guha

The Gandhian movement in India, after Gandhi’s death, failed, says Ramachandra Guha, and blames Vinoba Bhave for it. But the movement found new, fertile grounds around the world and succeeded in bringing about a change in South Africa, the US and elsewhere. It is high time it returned home. Of cour

When religion, politics and Bollywood come together

Tavleen Singh, noted journalist and political commentator, has turned to fiction, with her debut novel ‘The Actor’ (HaperCollins India). Set in the near future, it has a superstar, Amit Singh, turning to politics, when the political landscape is dominated by prime minister Guru Gaynendraj

Cabinet approves setting up of Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority

The union cabinet, chaired by prime minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday approved the setting up of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), called Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority (ITLA), to strengthen research, planning, appraisal, monitoring and impact assessment within the broad domains of Transp

Upcoming Conferences



-->

Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter