JK News Today
Jammu, November 23
The Art of Living, founded by the humanitarian and spiritual leader, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, brought together multiple stakeholders to deliberate and have a dialogue on the situation in Kashmir as part of the ‘Kashmir Back to Paradise’ Conference.
In his address to the gathering Gurudev (as he is popularly known) underlined , “Kashmir ka hal kashmiryion se hi a sakta hai. bahar se nahi ho sakta (The solution to the Kashmir problem can only come from the Kashmiris).”
“Many of you have traveled 12 and 15 hours to get here because you are deeply pained by what has happened in the recent months,” said Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and added, “I have not come here with a ready-made solution. We will all have to come together, sit together and bring out a solution. Solutions cannot be found in the streets, not with stones and guns.”
Some of the intellectuals from the valley included MY Taing renowned Kashmiri historian, Nizam Ud Din Bhat, experienced Kashmiri journalist, Lt Gen Subrata Saha, Deputy Chief of Army Staff, second in command, Prof. Nisar Ali, economist of international repute,and former advisor to the World Bank and IMF, Dr. Ashok Aima, vice chancellor, Central University of Jammu among others.
Many delegations from Kashmir who met the spiritual leader in the recent months, like Dr. Ghulam Rasool Hami, head of the J & K based Karwan-I-Islami, Muzaffar Wani, father of slain militant Burhan Wani, had requested him to intervene in Kashmir, given the immense goodwill, trust and confidence he enjoys among people across the political and social spectrum in Kashmir.
“Kashmir has been a bastion of the intellectuals, artists, spiritual leaders, Sufis, literary greats, Rishis and Munis. But unfortunately today, we are helplessly watching schools being burnt, schools and buses are being burnt, shops being gutted. There are many sane voices which are unheard. The common man is caught between harthaal and curfews. So there is a dire need for a platform where common people can express their opinions, ideas. So I thought we should come together and form a platform, South Asian Forum for Peace.”- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
The South Asian Forum for Peace was launched today. The Forum would span eight South Asian countries to bring them together, to co-operate and work in areas such as entrepreneurship, skill development, cultural exchange, educational partnerships and women empowerment initiatives among others.
