Sri Sri Ravishankar condemns bid to communalise Nandigram conflict

Bangalore, Nov 23 (UNI) Renowned spiritual leader and founder of Art of Living Sri Sri Ravi Shankar today expressed serious concern over attempts to communalise the Nandigram conflict.

He also condemned the riots in Kolkata on Wednesday which he calimed was a planned one.

Sri Ravishankar, who recently toured the affected areas in Nandigram, said that he witnessed the victims of the conflict were not confined to the Muslim community alone. The Hindus have also suffered equally, according to a release here today.

Appealing to people not to turn the Nandigram conflict into a communal issue, he has expressed his apprehensions about the communal polarisation that could happen in Bengal as a result of the conspiracy to separate the minorities from the mainstream.

"The recent incidents appear to be a political ploy to form a separate political party by stoking the passions of the minorities," he added.

He said that it was wrong to blame the Left Front government of playing communal politics since it had always been blind to religion. In fact, the Left had been extra cautious not to play any communal politics," Commenting on the violent protests over granting visa to Taslima Nasreen, he said that India has a very tolerant culture and there was place for everybody. India has provided asylum to the Parsis, Jews, Tibetans and many others who have sought refuge from hostilities and persecution.

He said that communal elements should stop meddling with policies and procedures of the government.

UNI