31 July 2012 - QA 6

Does the Art of Living support the Anna movement?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Art of Living is a founding member of the IAC (India Against Corruption) movement. We are standing against corruption from the beginning and our efforts are ongoing.

I appeal to Annaji and to his team to drop the fast. Your efforts are very much required for this country. Nearly 350 youths are sitting there since the last six days and the seventh day is going to come. Please do not fast anymore and put your bodies through more trouble. I appeal to you to drop your fast, but maintain the struggle.
There is a lot of work to be done and we have to bring a lot of change in this country. Corruption needs to be removed and we are all united in this effort.

We all have the same goal, i.e., to remove corruption from this country, but our means are different. Our ways of working is different.
Our approach is to never insult or condemn anyone. We do not go to anyone’s home and create violence. We do not believe in any kind of violence or aggression.
In our satsang, there is an energy which is very high and very positive. Not of jealousy and anger, but of enthusiasm, zeal and hope, to do something, to bring about a change. And we walk ahead towards our goal with this spirit (gusto).
Moving with awareness and enthusiasm is the way of the Art of Living. This is the path that we have always adopted. So we must protest with complete awareness, complete knowledge and with music.
Annaji is fasting at the moment, and at the venue it is our Art of Living singers who are sitting there and singing and encouraging the masses. But unfortunately, yesterday there were some people who were being unruly; they are not from The Art of Living. This should not be done and I do not approve of any sort of unruliness. We have to bring about a revolution with complete awareness. So we must all think and act.