Jammu & Kashmir

What happened at SKICC should open the eyes of New Delhi, says Rashid

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‘Kashmiris know the art of living better than anyone else’

Srinagar: Asking Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to be honest in conveying the feelings and sentiments of people of Jammu and Kashmir, AIP Supremo and MLA Langate Rashid has termed today’s incident at Sher e Kashmir International Convention Center (SKICC), as an eye opener for New Delhi.

Indian spiritual Guru and Art of Living (AOL) founder Ravi Shankar was to address a ‘peace conference’ titled ‘Paigam e Mohabbat’ at the SKICC. The conference was however cut short after pro-freedom and pro-Pakistan slogans were raised.

Reacting to the incident, Rashid said, “Before asking Kashmiris to forget the past Sri Sri should have advised New Delhi to forget its arrogance of the past and come forward for a realistic and honorable settlement to resolve the Kashmir dispute. Kashmiris would have appreciated had Sri Sri Ravi Shankar raised voice for Kashmiris who have been butchered by security forces and other central agencies since 1989, at various forums all over India. Mr. Sri Sri should first condemn the unabated killings and he should have raised tremendous pressure through civil society and other groups on political parties in India to give Kashmiris Right to Self Determination”.

Rashid added that whatsoever participants did at SKICC was what Sri Sri deserved as his sermon on “Art of Living” to Kashmiris was like adding salt to their injuries.

Ravi Shankar’s speech at the event had to be cut short, and the event shifted to a private hotel, the Lalit. An event at the Lalit Hotel after the event was part of the plan, however, the scheduled speech at SKICC could not go beyond 7 minutes.

People have alleged being cheated to participate in the programme, keeping the speaker’s name as a secret, being told that a Maulvi is speaking, and promising sports kits. Around 1500 people were reportedly brought to the event from Kupwara, Budgam, Handwara, Shopian and Khrew.

Ravi Shankar, who has appointed himself, and claims to be mediating in conflicts like the Ayodhya Dispute, in an interview with India Today had said, “If Ram Mandir issue is not solved, we will have a Syria in India.”

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He had claimed that, “Muslims should give up their claim on Ayodhya as a goodwill gesture. Ayodhya is not place of faith for Muslims…We cannot make Lord Ram to be born in another place.”

 

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