Kashmir: Sri Sri welcomed with ‘azadi’ slogans

SRINAGAR: Angry protesters, some shouting pro-azadi slogans, forced spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to cut short his speech at a ‘peace conference’ here on Saturday. Sri Sri, the Art of Living founder, said he had been invited by ‘some well-meaning people of the Valley’ to speak at the ‘Paigham-e-Mohabbat’ (Message of Love) function, organised on the banks of the Dal Lake for ‘peace and trust building’.

SRINAGAR : Angry protesters, some shouting pro Azadi slogans, forced spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to cut short his speech at a ‘peace conference’ here on Saturday.

Sri Sri, the Art of Living founder said he had been invited by ‘some well-meaning people of the Valley’ to speak at the ‘Paigham-e-Mohabbat’ (Message of Love) function, organised on the banks of the Dal Lake. He did not name those people.

Thousands, including youngsters and women, had gathered for the function. Just six minutes into his speech, people started leaving in droves and some of them shouted pro Azadi slogans.

“Whenever I have come I see the pain and suffering and despite that I see the reflection of love here… I am yours and you are mine,” Sri Sri said minutes before the commotion started. The spiritual leader cut short his speech and the guests on the dais left in a hurry. Groups of people HT talked to said that they were brought into the function by “deceit”. “We were lured to come here for cricketing kits,” a pharmacy student said.