Street movements can't replace Parliament, says Sri Sri Ravishankar
All eyes are on Uttar Pradesh as India's largest state is set to go to the hustings next year. While Rahul Gandhi blew the poll bugle at Phoolpur, there is yet another figure whose visit to the state raised many an eyebrow.Sri Sri Ravishankar, guruji to millions, toured some of the most important constituencies in the state exhorting people to rise up against corruption. Political parties of all hues tried to play the four day long visit in their favour but the spiritual leader didn't bat an eyelid, apart from cancelling his Amethi visit at the last moment. Now, in an exclusive interview to indiatoday.in, Sri Sri Ravishankar reveals what the pressure was all about.
Q. What was the aim of your UP yatra and have you achieved it?A. Uttar Pradesh was part of my routine yatra which I have been doing for past several years. I give dates according to local people's request. No political motive should be attached to my U.P. tour. It is mainly spiritual and of course social causes are also raised, just as we have been doing everywhere else. Satsangs are always an uplifting experience and it was obvious by the response of the people.Q. Why did you miss Amethi succumbing to political pressure?A.Originally it was the people of Rae Bareilly who came to Bangalore to plan a Satsang. We have a large following there. They wanted to have 100,000 people in Rae Bareilly. While we were planning for this, we received an invitation from Amethi from Swami Harichaitanya, Tikarmafi Ashram for their Shatabdi Samaroh celebrations. Since the time available was very short we skipped Rae Bareilly and gave that same date to Amethi. When I landed in UP, our representative Swami Paramtej ji received a call from the swami in Amethi who informed about pressure being put on him. He was sorry and embarrassed to withdraw the invitation and was very uncomfortable even communicating that to us. I wanted to stir out of controversies and not create any problem. So I willingly agreed to postpone my visit to Amethi and he also sent a written regret.Q. Have there been more such incidents of pressure on your movement?A. I teach people how to handle pressure so I know how to handle pressure.Q. Anna Hazare has clearly asked voters to not vote for the Congress. Would you also be as clear in your anti-corruption stance?A. My stance is very clear. It is apolitical and against corruption and degradation of moral and ethical values. We have raised our voice against corruption, and we ourselves have been a victim of corruption here in Karnataka.Q. Political parties are pitting you against each other in poll season…are you plan 'C' of the BJP?A. I wouldn't like to comment on the perceptions and exhibition of ignorance of other people. Everybody has the right to express their own ignorance. But one thing I would like to say is that if I wanted to do anything political, I would do it hundred percent. If that were my intention, I would go to every one of the 75 districts, spend two days in each one and campaign for a whole 3 months. I am wise enough to know that no political windfall will occur in a 4-day yatra.Q. An opinion often voiced is that spiritual leaders should not transcend their domain and should fight elections if they want to do politics…A. Political leaders need not become nervous looking at the masses following spiritual leaders and make adverse comments which would only hurt them.Q. How do you see the incidents of alleged corruption in Team Anna? Is there a lack of transparency and democracy in such movements?A. It is for government agencies to take a call on that. Nobody is above law. Anyone who flouts the law will have to face the music. As far as I know, Team Anna people are very committed. You cannot brand them corrupt just because of some allegations in media. They are innocent unless they are proven otherwise.Q. Team Anna is forming a constitution for itself and will expand the team to include all dominations- was that necessary, considering they are fighting for a basic issue like corruption which affects everybody in the same manner, more or less?A.Expanding the team must be welcomed as decisions will be democratic and really represent the civil society in its true sense.Q. Can a movement on streets- including fasting- replace Parliamentary procedures? Should it?A. Not at all! Movements on street can exert pressure on the sleeping MPs to take action.Q. Would you enter the Bigg Boss house a la Swami Agnivesh if invited?A. I know of only one Big Boss and I am in his house all the time!
Read more at:http://indiatoday.intoday.
Street movements can't replace Parliament, says Sri Sri Ravishankar
All eyes are on Uttar Pradesh as India's largest state is set to go to the hustings next year. While Rahul Gandhi blew the poll bugle at Phoolpur, there is yet another figure whose visit to the state raised many an eyebrow.Sri Sri Ravishankar, guruji to millions, toured some of the most important constituencies in the state exhorting people to rise up against corruption. Political parties of all hues tried to play the four day long visit in their favour but the spiritual leader didn't bat an eyelid, apart from cancelling his Amethi visit at the last moment. Now, in an exclusive interview to indiatoday.in, Sri Sri Ravishankar reveals what the pressure was all about.
Q. What was the aim of your UP yatra and have you achieved it?
A. Uttar Pradesh was part of my routine yatra which I have been doing for past several years. I give dates according to local people's request. No political motive should be attached to my U.P. tour. It is mainly spiritual and of course social causes are also raised, just as we have been doing everywhere else. Satsangs are always an uplifting experience and it was obvious by the response of the people.
Q. Why did you miss Amethi succumbing to political pressure?
A.Originally it was the people of Rae Bareilly who came to Bangalore to plan a Satsang. We have a large following there. They wanted to have 100,000 people in Rae Bareilly. While we were planning for this, we received an invitation from Amethi from Swami Harichaitanya, Tikarmafi Ashram for their Shatabdi Samaroh celebrations. Since the time available was very short we skipped Rae Bareilly and gave that same date to Amethi. When I landed in UP, our representative Swami Paramtej ji received a call from the swami in Amethi who informed about pressure being put on him. He was sorry and embarrassed to withdraw the invitation and was very uncomfortable even communicating that to us. I wanted to stir out of controversies and not create any problem. So I willingly agreed to postpone my visit to Amethi and he also sent a written regret.
Q. Have there been more such incidents of pressure on your movement?
A. I teach people how to handle pressure so I know how to handle pressure.
Q. Anna Hazare has clearly asked voters to not vote for the Congress. Would you also be as clear in your anti-corruption stance?
A. My stance is very clear. It is apolitical and against corruption and degradation of moral and ethical values. We have raised our voice against corruption, and we ourselves have been a victim of corruption here in Karnataka.
Q. Political parties are pitting you against each other in poll season…are you plan 'C' of the BJP?
A. I wouldn't like to comment on the perceptions and exhibition of ignorance of other people. Everybody has the right to express their own ignorance. But one thing I would like to say is that if I wanted to do anything political, I would do it hundred percent. If that were my intention, I would go to every one of the 75 districts, spend two days in each one and campaign for a whole 3 months. I am wise enough to know that no political windfall will occur in a 4-day yatra.
Q. An opinion often voiced is that spiritual leaders should not transcend their domain and should fight elections if they want to do politics…
A. Political leaders need not become nervous looking at the masses following spiritual leaders and make adverse comments which would only hurt them.
Q. How do you see the incidents of alleged corruption in Team Anna? Is there a lack of transparency and democracy in such movements?
A. It is for government agencies to take a call on that. Nobody is above law. Anyone who flouts the law will have to face the music. As far as I know, Team Anna people are very committed. You cannot brand them corrupt just because of some allegations in media. They are innocent unless they are proven otherwise.
Q. Team Anna is forming a constitution for itself and will expand the team to include all dominations- was that necessary, considering they are fighting for a basic issue like corruption which affects everybody in the same manner, more or less?
A.Expanding the team must be welcomed as decisions will be democratic and really represent the civil society in its true sense.
Q. Can a movement on streets- including fasting- replace Parliamentary procedures? Should it?
A. Not at all! Movements on street can exert pressure on the sleeping MPs to take action.
Q. Would you enter the Bigg Boss house a la Swami Agnivesh if invited?
A. I know of only one Big Boss and I am in his house all the time!
Read more at:http://indiatoday.intoday.
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