Govt has own theory on Ravi Shankar attack
New Delhi: A day after the purported gun attack on Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at his ashram in Bangalore, conflicting versions of the government and the spiritual guru emerged on Monday.
While Ravi Shankar maintained that the bullet, which hit his follower, was meant for him, the official side, including Union Home minister P Chidambaram, claimed that it was ‘an incident, and not an attack’.
Chidambaram, speaking to reporters here, linked the firing incident to a dispute between two of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s followers.
“The incident took place after he (Ravi Shankar) had left in his car. It may not be correct to say that the firing was aimed at him,” the Union Home minister said.
The Minister said that he had received an oral report about the incident and would get a written report by the end of the day.
Karnataka director general of police Ajaikumar Singh also downplayed the incident, though the police has registered a case under IPC 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and under the Arms Acts.
“I do not call it an attack. It is an incident,” Singh told reporters at Bangalore.
The guru, however, refused to accept the firing episode as a mere ‘incident’.
“Police cannot absolve itself of its responsibility by taking it lightly. It has to be investigated properly. The fact is that the bullet was fired in the direction of my car and a devotee has been injured. It has to be taken seriously and probed,” Ravi Shankar said in Bangalore.
“Let us not speculate on this. It cannot be brushed off as some personal enmity. I am very hurt at such reports (of government dismissing the incident as fall-out of personal dispute).”
He, however, maintained that the attack will not stand in his way of meeting his followers.
“I do not want a wall between me and those who meet me. Even tomorrow a group of 40 to 50 people would come to meet me from a tribal region for taking the path of peace.”
“Take this as a bad dream and move forward. I have forgiven the gunman,” he said, adding that everything is as usual.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari on Monday wrote to Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa asking him to book the unidentified gunman behind the incident.
“I have heaved a sigh of relief that the Art of Living Guru escaped unhurt and that one of his devotees received only minor injuries. We all are well aware that Ravi Shankar Ji is a world-renowned Spiritual Guru commanding respect among all sections of the society. His safety and well-being is paramount. We should not spare any effort in ensuring his security,” Gadkari wrote in his letter.
“I am sure the Karnataka government must be taking all necessary steps in this direction. I urge upon the central government to provide adequate security cover to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji,” he added.
Ravi Shankar was returning to the ashram after a discourse when the attack took place Sunday evening.
Headquartered in Bangalore, The Art of Living is a not-for-profit, educational and humanitarian NGO engaged in stress-management and service initiatives. Founded in 1981 by Ravi Shankar, the organisation has worked in 152 countries.
The organisational activities are guided by his philosophy of peace: “Unless we have a stress-free mind and a violence-free society, we cannot achieve world peace.”
To guide individuals to inner peace, the Art of Living offers stress-elimination programmes, which include breathing techniques, meditation and yoga.
New Delhi: A day after the purported gun attack on Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at his ashram in Bangalore, conflicting versions of the government and the spiritual guru emerged on Monday. While Ravi Shankar maintained that the bullet, which hit his follower, was meant for him, the...
New Delhi: A day after the purported gun attack on Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at his ashram in Bangalore, conflicting versions of the government and the spiritual guru emerged on Monday.
While Ravi Shankar maintained that the bullet, which hit his follower, was meant for him, the official side, including Union Home minister P Chidambaram, claimed that it was ‘an incident, and not an attack’.
Chidambaram, speaking to reporters here, linked the firing incident to a dispute between two of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s followers.
“The incident took place after he (Ravi Shankar) had left in his car. It may not be correct to say that the firing was aimed at him,” the Union Home minister said.
The Minister said that he had received an oral report about the incident and would get a written report by the end of the day.
Karnataka director general of police Ajaikumar Singh also downplayed the incident, though the police has registered a case under IPC 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and under the Arms Acts.
“I do not call it an attack. It is an incident,” Singh told reporters at Bangalore.
The guru, however, refused to accept the firing episode as a mere ‘incident’.
“Police cannot absolve itself of its responsibility by taking it lightly. It has to be investigated properly. The fact is that the bullet was fired in the direction of my car and a devotee has been injured. It has to be taken seriously and probed,” Ravi Shankar said in Bangalore.
“Let us not speculate on this. It cannot be brushed off as some personal enmity. I am very hurt at such reports (of government dismissing the incident as fall-out of personal dispute).”
He, however, maintained that the attack will not stand in his way of meeting his followers.
“I do not want a wall between me and those who meet me. Even tomorrow a group of 40 to 50 people would come to meet me from a tribal region for taking the path of peace.”
“Take this as a bad dream and move forward. I have forgiven the gunman,” he said, adding that everything is as usual.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari on Monday wrote to Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa asking him to book the unidentified gunman behind the incident.
“I have heaved a sigh of relief that the Art of Living Guru escaped unhurt and that one of his devotees received only minor injuries. We all are well aware that Ravi Shankar Ji is a world-renowned Spiritual Guru commanding respect among all sections of the society. His safety and well-being is paramount. We should not spare any effort in ensuring his security,” Gadkari wrote in his letter.
“I am sure the Karnataka government must be taking all necessary steps in this direction. I urge upon the central government to provide adequate security cover to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji,” he added.
Ravi Shankar was returning to the ashram after a discourse when the attack took place Sunday evening.
Headquartered in Bangalore, The Art of Living is a not-for-profit, educational and humanitarian NGO engaged in stress-management and service initiatives. Founded in 1981 by Ravi Shankar, the organisation has worked in 152 countries.
The organisational activities are guided by his philosophy of peace: “Unless we have a stress-free mind and a violence-free society, we cannot achieve world peace.”
To guide individuals to inner peace, the Art of Living offers stress-elimination programmes, which include breathing techniques, meditation and yoga.
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