This Indian Guru Offers Peace Talks with Taliban, India-Pak, Hindu-Muslims, Naxals, but No TAKERS

Bangalore: ‘A happy mind is never attracted to terrorism’ – the headlines read bold and big on Pakistan’s leading newspaper, The Dawn upon the arrival of Indian spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar  in Pakistan who says only disgruntled people became tools of terrorists while a happy mind was never attracted to terrorism. It was one of his many peace missions which span across the globe from Taliban, Naxals in India, to the revolutionists in Egypt.  Leader of Art of Living Foundation has offered to talk with the Naxals and Talibans, on India-Pak and Hindu-Muslim issues etc, but no one seems to have taken his doctrine seriously. Below are the main issues that the spiritual leader expressed his desire to bring peace by bilateral talks.

Taliban

Indian spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar offered to hold talks with the Taliban to usher in peace in the region, saying it would help foster understanding among people with divergent views. "I am ready to go and talk to the Taliban. I want to talk to them, understand them and give them my opinion. So we can definitely make a difference. We should try it again and again even if we have to try it 100 times," Ravi Shankar said during an interaction with the public and media in the Pakistani capital.

Responding to a question on what leaders could do to usher in peace in the region, the spiritual guru said "most of the trouble is created by rhetoric" and people should instead work for a future filled with hope. "People find importance in creating such dangerous situations. They should stop and give more hope to people," he said.

Ravi Shankar, currently on a three-day private visit to Pakistan, inaugurated a centre for his Art of Living movement at Bani Gala on the outskirts of Islamabad. He also met with a group of Muslim clerics and some political leaders.

Answering questions from the media and the public, Ravi Shankar said decision-makers should be "calm and collective" while tackling serious issues. Life becomes worth living, he said, when people are able to be of help to others. "When decision-makers are in high tension or angry, they will project the same thing in their decisions. They should do some meditation and relax, especially when they have to make a serious decision that will impact a lot of people," he said.

He said he was happy to see the enthusiasm with which the Pakistani people had welcomed him.