BANGALORE: His Holiness Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has appealed to the people of Orissa to come together.
“I appeal to all the people of Orissa to come together at this great moment of a terrible tension. We should let go of the past and move on to the future. Stop this violence. I know Swamiji (Swami Laxmananda Saraswati) had done a lot of work in the tribal belt and he has been very dear to our people there. And even his soul will not appreciate any violence that is happening there now. So I appeal to the Hindu community to restrain from reacting and taking revenge and I appeal to the Christian community as well to please adhere to the path of peace and come together. Both the communities have to live together and have to work together for a progressive state. Don’t get swayed away by rumors. Please come together for reconciliation and let’s all have peace between the communities.”
Background: Communal tension has mounted in Kandhamal district of Orissa, India, following the killing of a Hindu leader and four others on August 23, 2008.