Greater Noida: Everyone has azaadi to speak, says Sri Sri Ravishankar

Commenting on the recent violence among students groups at Delhi University, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar said violence should not be the language of students

Commenting on the recent violence among students groups at Delhi University, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar said violence should not be the language of students and universities must harbour a feeling of oneness.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at the second convocation ceremony of Sharda University in Greater Noida on Saturday. (Virendra Singh Gosain/HT PHOTO)

“I am very sorry about the violence at Delhi University. Violence should not be our language and we must bring a sense of oneness in universities,” Ravishankar said while addressing the press in Greater Noida on Saturday.

Delhi University’s north campus saw violence on February 21 and 22 when during a literature festival at Ramjas College, Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) affiliated students group Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) clashed with leftist groups such as Students Federation of India (SFI) and All India Students Association (AISA).

Several students, teachers and journalists were beaten up allegedly by ABVP and AISA volunteers. Personnel of Delhi Police were also accused of thrashing women students.

Speaking on the issue, Ravishankar said violence must not be used under any circumstance.

“Students must communicate with each other and though we may have differences in our opinion, everybody has the right to present his/her opinion. Nobody has the right to hurt anyone,” he said.

Commenting on the issue of freedom of speech, Ravishankar said, ”No other country has given the right to speak to their citizens as India has. We have followed freedom of speech since centuries.”

“Everybody has the right to speak and exercise his/her rights in a democracy. But this azaadi shouldn’t hurt anyone and we must exercise it with responsibility,” he said.

After the lynching of a Dadri resident Mohammad Ikhlaq over suspicion of storing beef in his house, several artists and filmmakers had returned their awards saying there is growing intolerance in the country.

“I won’t say that India is slowly becoming a country where people are scared to speak their mind. But I can say for sure that tension among people has escalated. Even small issues are made bigger and it results in further escalation of tension and stiffness among the people,” he said.