Chandigarh

Sri M's 'Walk of hope' reaches Kurukshetra

PNS

Renowned spiritual guru Sri M, founder of Manav Ekta Mission, during his ‘walk of hope’ – a 7500 kms long padayatra for peace and harmony to Kashmir reached here on Sunday and said that he does not blame any particular section of society in Haryana for the recent violence which the people of the State had witnessed.

70-year-old Sri M, spiritual guide, social reformer and educationist, is working under the aegis of Satsang Foundation towards the oneness of all humanity.

While talking to mediapersons at the Kurukshetra University International guest house here, Sri M said that there is no need to indulge into violence for the people to get any of their demands accepted.

He said that there must be some ulterior motives behind this violence. He was of the view that discussions must continue to ensure that no such violence erupts again in future. People must understand that they destroy properties either owned by them or meant for them in such violence, he added.

Born with name of Mumtaz Ali Khan, he is named by his associates and followers as Sri M-short form of Manav. He said that since his child hood he was interested in the mystic aspect of the country which took him to Himalayas at the age of 19 years, where he remained with his ‘Guru’ Maheshwar Nath at Badrinath for over three years.

In reply to the question of increasing intolerance amongst different communities at present, he said that our country is multi-linguistic and composed of various religions and communities who had settled here from outside, so different opinions are bound to be there.

He was of the view that difference of opinion and ideology must be sorted out through discussion and not through violence. He added that national property and individual properties become casualty during violence which mostly erupts at the instigation of some elements with self-interests.

He described his till now about 6000 kms ‘padyatra’ as a success to great extent, as each day he alongwith about 60 others, halts at a village or town on the way. They have meetings with local communities of the place, which includes meaningful dialogues and inter-faith prayers.

He said that they eat together and rest overnight in their homes in spirit of oneness. ‘We walk together, not as members of groups or parties, but as human beings. We walk for a society where opportunity is given to all, regardless of caste, religion, language, religion or gender’, he added.

He hoped that together they would spread the message, personally, to cover 10 million fellow countrymen along the way to Kashmir. He embarked on ‘walk of hope’ -a 7500 kms long padyatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir on January 12, 2015.

His accompanists include 80-year-old Air Commodore (retd.) Ravinder Nath from Trivandrum, 75 years old former Director General of Police, Karnataka, Dr Ajay K Singh, and 74-year-old former Chief Secretary, Karnataka Tara Singh.