The Art of Living Foundation’s World Cultural Event has been mired in controversy since a petition filed by former forest official Manoj Misra called for a ban of the event.
AOL has been criticised for damaging the ecologically fragile Yamuna floodplains with its massive construction work prior to the event, which is scheduled to begin from 11 March and continue till 13 March.
The AOL foundation has been suffering blow after blow as world leaders who have been invited by spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar have been pulling out one by one over security and protocol concerns.
Despite officials claiming that Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has been invited to be the guest of honour at the three-day long event, Mugabe actually planned a trip to Singapore instead of India for medical treatment.
The Citizen reported that Mugabe’s Press Secretary George Charamba said in a statement that the President had cancelled his sojourn to India, citing security concerns.
Although Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the event, President Pranab Mukherjee cancelled his participation in the World Cultural Festival. Consequently, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Nepal President Bindhiya Devi Bhandari and former Afghan President Hamid Karzai have also cancelled their participation in the event.
All four leaders were supposed to speak at the world leaders’ conference which has been scheduled on the second day of the event.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin haven’t confirmed their arrival yet.
The NGT fined the AOL foundation Rs 5 crores for holding the event without seeking proper permission. Additionally, the DDA have been imposed with a fine of Rs 5 lakh while the DPCC has been fined with Rs 1 lakh.
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