India
The spiritual guru is under fire for his comments that government schools are breeding ground for Naxalism.
Updated : Mar 21, 2012, 10:57 PM IST
Under fire for his comments that government schools are breeding ground for Naxalism, spiritual Guru Sri Sri Ravishankar on Wednesday moved into a damage-control act saying he never made a generalisation and "great talents have emerged from these schools".
"I did not say that all the government school breed Naxalism. Great talents have been emerged from these schools and I would never generalise," Ravishankar, the Art of Living founder, said in a statement here.
"I specifically referred to sick government schools in Naxal-affected areas. Many who have turned to Naxalism have come from these schools," he said.
"Art of Living is running 185 pre-schools in such areas and I urge more institutions to join this effort to spread peace through education," he said.
Talking to reporters at his Ashram here, Ravishankar said on Wednesday that he visited several Naxal-hit areas and found that the condition of government schools there is poor and there is a need for improvement.
Asked about his views about privatisation of education, he said that sometimes, in comparison, students of private schools excel over those from government schools.