Lack Of Strong Central Opposition Makes Country Appear Autocratic: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said that democracies do need a stronger Opposition — conservative, creative Opposition that is missing in India. He asserted that India is a vibrant democracy.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said that at the national level, there needs to be a strong opposition party, which is currently missing. 

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New Delhi: Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of the Art of Living Foundation, on Thursday said he believes that for a healthy democracy, it is essential that India has a stronger Opposition, one that is constructive as well. 

"India needs a stronger Opposition, a constructive Opposition. The (current) Opposition is very weak. Lack of leadership in the Opposition can make any democracy appear not as a democracy," Ravi Shankar said in an interview to news agency PTI. 

He said that democracies do need a stronger Opposition — conservative, creative Opposition that is missing in India. He asserted that India is a vibrant democracy, and the elections held in the country are free and fair. 

Ravi Shankar added that at the national level, there needs to be a strong opposition party, which is currently missing. 

"Of course, West Bengal has shown that with free-and-fair elections, no party can meddle with the institutions of India, and the judiciary is quite strong. But the lack of a central Opposition, a strong leader will make the country look like it is autocratic, but it is not. We are such a huge democracy. People have power," a PTI report quoted Ravi Shankar as saying.

Ravi Shankar is currently on a two-month tour of the United States. He is travelling to various cities and spreading the message of peace and the need of it in a post-Covid world.