Threats, misuse of public resources, destroying ecology: is that art of living?

Sri Sri’s AoL should reaffirm spiritual values by apologizing to threatened activists, postponing the event

pujab

Puja Bhattacharjee | March 9, 2016 | New Delhi


##environment   ##Yamuna   ##sri sri ravishankar   ##Yamuna   ##artofliving   ##worldculturefestival   ##delhi  


Sri Sri Ravishankar and the Art of Living Foundation (AOL) have been carrying out a noble mission of spreading spiritual values for 35 years now. Sri Sri advocates a stress-free mind and a violence-free society. But for the past two months, the preparations for the World Culture Festival organised by AOL has been doling out more stress than it has eradicated. The festival organised on the 35th anniversary of the foundation on the flood plains of the Yamuna during March 11-13 has brought on an offensive from environmentalists who rue the destruction of the river plains.

READ: Art of Living event is violence on environment: Bharati Chaturvedi

While the National Green Tribunal (NGT) is about to rule on a petition filed by Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan (YJA), and the upper house of parliament is in uproar, Swami Omjee, a Hindu Mahasabha leader, has openly threatened Vimlendu Jha, secretary of Sweccha, a voluntary organisation, who has mobilised support for the petition filed by YJA and has even called him anti-national and a CIA agent.

READ: “#OccupyYamuna”? Before Sri Sri’s extravaganza, it was Akshardham

Whatever be his association with AOL, if Omjee has truly understood Sri Sri’s message, he would have acted otherwise. In a truly peaceful society, one that Sri Sri envisions, disagreements are dealt through dialogue, not intimidation. There is no concept of nation or nationalism in the spiritual sphere where, they say, one is all and all is one. Everyone is a world citizen.

In fact, the festival aims to celebrate the diversity of cultures through music art and the individuality of each person.

Maybe, after all this is over, Sri Sri should sit down with the lumpen elements and teach them the Art of Living Peacefully. Sri Sri would have truly achieved world peace in some measure if he can change the impassioned and irrational reactions of his supporters, however well-meaning they might be, from hostility to amity and agree to disagree, peacefully.
 

Comments

 

Other News

When algorithms decide and children die

The images have not left me, of dead and wounded children being carried in the arms of the medics and relatives to the ambulances and hospitals. On February 28, at the start of Operation Epic Fury, cruise missiles struck the Shajareh Tayyebeh school – officially named a girls’ school, in Minab,

The economics of representation: Why women in power matter

India’s democracy has grown in scale, but not quite in balance. Women today are active participants in elections, influencing outcomes in ways that were not as visible earlier. Yet their presence in legislative institutions continues to lag behind. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was meant to addres

India will be powerful, not aggressive: Bhaiyyaji

India is poised to emerge as a global power but will remain rooted in its civilisational ethos of non-aggression and harmony, former RSS General Secretary Suresh `Bhaiyyaji` Joshi has said.   He was speaking at the launch of “Rashtrabhav,” a book by Ravindra Sathe

AI: Code, Control, Conquer

India today stands at a critical juncture in the area of artificial intelligence. While the country is among the fastest adopters of AI in the world, it remains heavily reliant on technologies developed elsewhere. This paradox, experts warn, cannot persist if India seeks technological sovereignty.

RBI pauses to assess inflation risks, policy transmission

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has begun the new fiscal year with a calibrated pause, keeping the repo rate unchanged at 5.25 per cent in its April Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting. The decision, taken unanimously, reflects a shift from aggressive policy action to cautious observation after a signi

New pathways for tourism growth

Traditionally, India’s tourism policy has been based on three main components: the number of visitors, building tourist attractions and providing facilities for tourists. Due to the increase in climate-related issues and environmental destruction that occurred over previous years, policymakers have b


Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter