new delhi prime minister narendra modi and his parampujya guruji sri sri ravi shankar on friday evening appeared to be working in tandem to respond to critics of the controversial world culture festivalif we keep criticizing ourselves why would the world look to us pm modi asked in his address while inaugurating the rs 26 crore art of living event read alsoworld culture festival ngt fines sri sri ravi shankars art of living rs 5 crores but allows his eventthe national green tribunal on wednesday fined sri sri ravi shankars world culture festival to the tune of rs 5 crores but did allow it to take place in delhi at its planned venue on the banks of the yamuna as scheduledwill go to jail but not pay a penny sri sri ravi shankar on rs 5 crore finewe have not done anything wrong we have been taintless and will remain so we we will go to jail but not pay a penny art of living founder sri sri ravi shankar said the threeday world culture festival is to be held on the ecologicallysensitive banks of the yamuna riverfor about a week now ravi shankar and the centre have been criticized by environmentalists who said allowing an event like this on the ecologicallysensitive flood plains of the yamuna will prove disastrous to the surrounding habitatthe national green tribunal too fined the art of living foundation rs five crores as environmental compensation for damage done to the venue it even rebuked several government bodies for being negligent in their duties in giving the nod for the eventravi shankar said on thursday that he wouldnt pay that fineother critics have been saying that a private event such as this one should not be getting any help from the government the centre gave the event rs 25 croressri sri ravi shankar responded to that in his opening address by putting a new twist to vasudaiva kutumbakam a phrase from an upanishad that means the world is one family blog the art of livings world culture festival controversies galorethis event is a private affair yes but the whole world is my family ravi shankar said to deafening applause i just want to say i belong to all he emphasizedpm modi too went on to give his stamp of approval to what he believes ravi shankar and the art of livings soft power have achievedthrough art of living the world has come to know more about india it has grown from a small movement 35 years ago to a global phenomenon modi said the pm called the threeday event a kumbh mela of art and culturewe need art of living for everything to fulfil our dreams we need art of living to deal with difficulties we need art of living to help others we need art of living pm modi saidravi shankar who spoke before modi shared his viewswhen you want to do something wrong then there will be no obstacles but when you want to