Yamuna bank event is bigger than FIFA, Cricket World Cup, says Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

New Delhi: Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Thursday criticised “attempts” to politicise his mega event being organised on the Yamuna bank and said the World Culture Festival is bigger than FIFA and Cricket World Cup.

“Lets not politicise this event. It's an event of big magnitude. 172 dignitaries and 20,000 people from around the world are coming, if such a programme is announced in any country, the government would come all out to support it, it's bigger than FIFA, it's bigger than (cricket) world cup,” he told India Today.

“It takes years to prepare for such an event. And hear you take all the permission, do everything and then they blame us, its not fair,” he said.

People from over 100 countries are expected to attend the three-day festival, which will kick off on Friday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit the mega event.

The organisers have been criticised as it has been feared that the mega event may destroy the sensitive floodplains of the river.

The National Green Tribunal as asked the organisers to pay Rs 5 crore as fine to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for violating environmental norms.

It is being alleged that the organisers did not giving sufficient details about the event to the authorities.

The spiritual guru, who heads the Art of Living, said the temporary structures at the site would be dismantled after the event.

This is an event of big magnitude, it's bigger than FIFA & World Cup: @SriSri #SriSriFight #NEWSROOM https://t.co/mtrjhcJNcH

— India Today (@IndiaToday) March 10, 2016