New Delhi : A welcome spell of rain arrived a short while before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to declare open the there-day World Cultural Festival organized by spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar‘s Art of Living Foundation on the flood plains of the devastated river Yamuna. But it not dampen the enthusiastic mood at the event, although it left the organizers with a host of problem.
Almost snubbing the critics of the festival, Modi said: “If we bad mouth our own culture, why will the world come to us?” He described the event as the ‘Kumbh mela’ of art and culture and showered lavish praise on Sri Sri for achieving this kind of success in the last 35 years.
The spiritual guru also frowned at his critics. ‘‘Yes, this is a private party and the world is invited. When you plan something big, obstacles will come,” he said.
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The controversies around this mega fest started when environmental activists alleged that irreparable damage is being done to the flood plains of river Yamuna, and then the National Green Tribunal imposed a fine of Rs.5 crores on the organizers. Though Sri Sri was initially defiant, the organizers did agree to pay Rs.25 lakhs as the first installment of the fine.
There was also criticism of the governments of Delhi and Centre for deputing agencies like the army to facilitate the movement of guests by building pontoon bridges as the venue is spread over 1,000 acres of marshy land.
The first day of the event threw traffic out of gear in the area around the venue, and with rain forecast for Saturday and the day after there are further fears of all kind of glitches at the mega show.
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Meanwhile, the Congress has charged the Modi government with precipitating an ecological disaster through this event. ‘‘There are vast tracts of open unused land around the capital, which could have been used for this event. But to go head at the same place even after the NGT has objected shows the callous attitude of the government towards the protection of environment,” said party spokesperson P L Punia.
In the Rajya Sabha, senior JD (U) leader Sharad Yadav said that by openly refusing to pay the fine imposed by the NGT Sri Sri Ravi Shankar had committed contempt of court. “He is not above the law of the land, and should be dealt with as such,” he added.