In an interview with CNN-IBN, spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, defended the World Cultural Festival–an event organised by the Art of Living Foundation, saying that he would have received a red carpet welcome in any other country for holding such an event.
Earlier National Green Tribunal ordered for a ban on the construction work of the WCF which will take place on the Yamuna Flood Plain between Delhi and Noida saying that the festival will cause irreparable damage to the flood plains.
A petition led by Manoj Mishra of the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan also requested that the event be stopped.
At least 35 lakh people are expected to attend the event which will be held from March 11-13 and features a diverse range of cultural performances, interfaith meets and leadership discussions.
Comparing the importance of the festival to the Olympics, Shankar also said that the NGT report is biased.
The NGT committee report is completely biased. They have never gone there. I contest their claims. We have not cut a single tree in that place. To do a program at such a place, they should reward us. We are doing this for an eco-friendly system, we are doing this for the environment. And it’s ridiculous to say that they are destroying the Yamuna floodplains.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
A committee appointed by NGT also recommended imposing a fine the Art of Living foundations Rs 120 crore for the environment damages that the event is going to cause to the Yamuna floodplains.
On being questioned whether the venue will be shifted or not, Shankar said:
It is not possible to shift the venue with less than 10 days left. An event like this takes years to plan and it is impossible to alter venues at short notice.
Read the full story here.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)