Spreading peace: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar File pic

Sri Sri Ravishankar tells Imran Gowhar that everyone is entitled to peace

Excerpts from an interview with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, his views on Malegaon blasts mastermind lieutenant colonel Prasad Purohit and the religion of terrorism.

As a messenger of peace, do you agree with the eye-for-an-eye method of tackling terror?
I am very concerned about what's happening. An eye-for-an-eye method is not our culture. But we cannot take things lying down. We cannot stop educating people about our values, especially the Indian ethos and spirituality, which emphasises on Ahimsa and truth.

The term Hindu terror has been coined by our investigating agencies. What are your feelings about that?
Fringe elements in Hindu society who think they can avenge terrorism by terrorism have brought disgrace to Indian culture. Trying to get political mileage out of it and giving undue publicity to this has only strengthened the jihadis. Let our media and politicians know that sensationalising, politicising and giving undue publicity to it even before the accused is proven guilty has given the jihadis a shot in the arm. Our late ATS chief mentioned that 90 per cent of the time and manpower was spent on this in the last two months. All this has cost the nation.

What kind of exercises should be undertaken by spiritual gurus to ensure that terrorism is wiped out from this country? What plans does AOL have in this regard?
This dogmatic and untouchable attitude that some religions have should be removed. Events like the protests against author Tasleema Nasreen are a shame on the democratic and liberal image of the country. The government should remove minority-majority and should give multi-cultural, multi-dimensional education to all.
Religious and spiritual institutions should take this forward. We need to come together and pledge that we will work towards protecting our country. We need social leaders who are 'satya-darshi' (truthful), sam-darshi' (equanimous), and 'door-darshi' (farsighted). So let's also resolve to first examine the qualifications of those whom we elect.
 
We need to protect our country from those who manipulate issues for their personal gains and lead by playing vote-bank politics.

We have programmes for army personnel too. Naxalites, Maoists, jihadis have all come and attended our programmes and we don't discriminate or ban anybody.

Art of Living has been conducting various rehabilitation programmes for people both in prison and those who are facing conviction. The results are so positive that one has to see to believe it.

Can terrorism be wiped out through the message of peace?
Any action done without inner peace will only lead to regret. And peace does not mean inaction. One has to use all methodologies to curb terrorism. We have to do it through education, persuasion, and force, only when nothing else works.

What is your message to people who indulge in terrorism?
Meditation, Sudarshan Kriya have transformed the aggression and violence in people into love and compassion. Our mission is to work with fundamentalists and extremists to transform them into loving human beings.