New Delhi: Venerable spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar strongly feels that no government can survive without their (seers) support. ‘As they meet large number of people daily and hear their sob stories,naturally they can not ask them to accept everything as a God’s will. Spiritual gurus have to speak on crucial issues,’ founder of Art of Living Sri Sri Shankar made this remark during the course of an interview with Editor -in-Chief of News 24 Ms. Anurradha Prasad for her weekly show ‘Aamne-samne’. The interview with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar would be aired at 8 pm on Saturday ( 16 July) and 10 pm on Sunday ( 17 July).
As always looking cool and calm,Ravi Shankar ji looks absolutely satisfied as his organization has recently completed three decades of its journey. ‘How was your three decades long journey ?’ ‘ It was delightful one. Now, I do not need anything. I am not in a race to get anything,’ he declares.
Replying to a question related to his intervention in breaking the fast of Baba Ramdev, Ravi Shankar ji said, ‘ I do what I feel is right. I have done my bit to end the agitations of Gujjars,Jats and Amarnath shrine in Kashmir. Same way, i though that i must talk to Baba so that he ends his fast. I tried to convince him that he can do much more for the society only if he survives. I happy that better sense prevailed upon him and he accepted my appeal.’ Ravi Shankar,however,looked little unhappy that Baba Ramdev break his fast in the presence of large number of people and in a grand manner.
‘Did Centre or Uttrakhand government has asked you to use your good offices so that Baba break his fast ?’ He dismissed such rumors with disdain and said, ‘ I went to Baba Ramdev at my own as i am also support his views on black money and corruption. I also know that with fasts,you can not bring back the black money stashed in foreign banks.’
‘ Do you support Anna Hazare’s decision to start his fast from 16 August ?’ Sri Sri Ravi Shankar feels that since long fast has become a tool of many Gandhians to put pressure on authorities to bow to their demands. – I feel that it (fast) is not the only tool to fight for your cause. What would happen if your health deteriorates during the course of fast.
Talking about Baba Ramdev’s political ambitions, he said that it is his will to be part of political process. ‘ I will never be part of political process. I would like to be a reformer rather than ruler.’
On the question of ever growing empires of ‘god men’ and corporate culture that they are following very religiously, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said, ‘They may be some whose empires are growing. There can be some exceptions. As far as corporate culture is concerned, i thought that it should be welcome. There is nothing wrong in it. Take the example of Vatican. It is run in a corporate style.’
He candidly admits that corruption has badly dented India’s image across the world. The good thing is that government is serious on this matter. It is working to root out the corruption. Press Release
