‘Ready to mediate in Ram Mandir issue’, says Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Spiritual guru and Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has said that he is ready to mediate on the Ram temple issue to facilitate its resolution.

"Definitely, I am always ready to do any mediation anywhere", he responded when asked if he is ready to mediate between the two sides to resolve the long-pending Ram temple issue, at a media interaction.

On escalating India-Pakistan tension, Ravi Shankar offered to promote people-to-people contacts between the two countries but saw no other role for him.

"People-to-people, we have got very good contacts", he said, noting that Art of Living has four centres in different cities of Pakistan, where 10,000 people practise its programme benefiting greatly.

Art of Living distributed food to people during flood in Pakistan, Ravi Shankar said.

"People-to-people contact is a different thing but politics is a different thing. So, I don't know how I can do anything in the political area, that's not my cup of tea. But people-to-people contact..yes.. quite a bit. Every year 300 to 400 people from Pakistan visit our Ashram (in Bengaluru) for training", he said.

The spiritual leader visited Pakistan thrice during which he received "overwhelming response and warm welcome".

"On this level (people-to-people contact), of course we can do a lot...bring sense to people but I don't know what I can do with ISI, Army and Government there (in Pakistan). That only government can connect", Ravi Shankar said.

Asked if Uniform Civil Code is needed in the country, he said he would like people to think very pragmatically and in a "progressive manner".

"Opinion of social scientists also should be taken on board. One cannot have any dogmatic mindset of any sort. We should be progressive in our approach", he added.