06 February 2014 - QA 6

Gurudev, can all spiritual organization get together and start a political party? I am sure this party can change the face of politics, and the plight of people in the country.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Spiritual organizations are there to give solace to people of all political parties. Spiritual organizations cannot attach itself to one political party. They have to be neutral. Like the supreme court is for everyone. The court of justice is for everyone. Similarly, the entertainment industry is for everybody. It cannot belong to a party.

Spiritual organizations is where people go when they burn out, when they have problems. They come for advice, they come for solace, they come for rejuvenation. That is needed for all political parties.
Like in the games, an umpire is neutral, he is for everybody. Spiritual organizations have their own code of conduct, their own laws. They need to be neutral. They need to advice. Of course we will also advice people to go and vote 100 percent.

I have been advising all the people not to vote for the criminal and corrupt elements. This much we have to do. We have to point out. The trend in this country is so bad. There are very few bad elements but they have a vote bank for themselves. There is a corrupt man and he has bought a set of people around him and he buys votes and so he has a vote bank. So every political party gives them a ticket and makes them run for elections. For this trend to reverse, the people, who are apathetic, who just sit at home and don’t go to vote should become more proactive. And this is what we have been doing. It is changing now.