New Delhi: Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, whose cultural event on the Yamuna floodplains raked up a controversy over alleged violation of green norms, said on Sunday his payment to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) was "not a fine."
"I would like to clarify that the part payment was made to develop Yamuna and not as a part of fine imposed on us. We will not pay any fine because we have done nothing against the environment," said Sri Sri whose foundation was asked by the NGT to pay a penalty of Rs 5 crore as interim compensation for the World Cultural Festival's impact on the environment.
Addressing the event on the concluding day, he said, "I am all for the development of Yamuna. If it (fine) is for development then I am all for it. It was a compensation to develop Yamuna."
The spiritual guru had shifted his stand earlier on the Rs 5 crore fine, first saying he would go to jail rather than pay it, but then agreeing to give Rs 25 lakh as initial installment and the balance in three weeks.
Sri Sri said he never thought he would face so much criticism for holding it on the banks of Yamuna and that he chose it only because the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium was too small to accommodate the participants.
"This is the cultural Olympics of the world. I thank Delhi for hosting this mega event. The Australian government has written to us offering to host the next cultural event. The pope congratulated us and I thanked the pope for his message," he said.
Sri Sri asked all political parties to keep politics aside when such an event takes place.
On the upcoming India-Pakistan World Twenty20 cricket match, he said, "I would only say give peace harmony and development a chance".
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