90 per cent of people in Kashmir want peace, says spritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Spiritual guru and Art of Living (AOL) founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Wednesday said 90 per cent of the people in Kashmir want peace and asserted that a solution to the Kashmir problem can only come from Kashmiris.

“Solution to Kashmir (issue) will only come from Kashmiris themselves. They have to bring out the solution themselves. We are creating this forum for such pragmatic thinking and progressive ideas to make the country stronger,” he said after launch of South Asian Forum For Peace.

Asserting that the conflict in Kashmir has become a cash cow for some and the people are suffering, he said, “In Kashmir, people are restraining themselves from opening their mouth due to threat of guns. 90 per cent of the people want peace and development but their voice is being silenced.”

Former militants, stone-pelters and victims of militancy, besides various stake holders took take part in the conference which was organised by AOL here to promote peace in Kashmir.

“The forum has been formed for creation of new vibrant ideology by taking people of shades and opinion together by holding dialogues, debates and discussions for peace, progress and development. I hope that it will bring some good results,” he said.

“The people who were moving with stones are talking peace. They have come forward for the peace initiative. The people who were in militancy, the youth who were involved in stone pelting and in drug addiction have taking part in the conference,” the spiritual guru said.

“Neither the media is projecting these and others are ignoring them. They are the neglected population and there is a need for a platform for them to air their voices openly,” Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said.

“The conflict has become the cash cow for some people.  They don’t want to put an end to it. This has become a source of earning for them. But the common people are facing the brunt of it. They need to come forward and isolate those people,” he said.

The AOL chief said, “I am working for peace in Kashmir.  We don’t want to become prisoners of any ideology but create a new ideology so that we can move forward in the direction of peace.”