Sri Sri Ravishankar rues service tax on yoga centres

Mumbai, Jan 12 (PTI) Art of Living proponent Sri SriRavishankar today regretted that the government was not doinganything to propagate yoga, instead it was levying service taxon centres teaching the ancient practice.

"We have to own up our heritage and traditions. Whileevery country is making yoga their own as they have found itsmeaning, we are doing nothing to safeguard this valuabletradition of ours. Instead our government has brought yogacentres under the service tax net," the globally acclaimedspiritual guru said during a special interaction with themedia at the Press Club here today.

Speaking on the theme ''From a stress-free mind to ascam-free nation,'' Ravishankar lauded the media for exposinghuge scams that the country is beset with.

"But for the media, these mind-boggling scams would nothave come out into the open," he said.

Advising the press to report on good aspects as well, thespiritual guru said bombarding the public with bad news alonewould create cynicism in their mind.

"Media should also equally focus on the good news and thefuture," he said.

Ravishankar said corruption was the result of the erosionof moral and social values.

"One becomes corrupt when one loses the sense ofbelongingness. One becomes greedy when one is insecure and hasnobody to belong because no one can be corrupt to one''s ownfamily members." PTI BEN VKV