People shout pro-freedom slogans at Ravi Shankar's event

Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar during Paigham-e-Mohabbat 'Peace in Paradise' rally, in Srinagar. Pic/PTI

Groups of people raised pro-freedom slogans at an event of Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Saturday and left midway alleging that they were tricked into participating in the programme.

As Ravi Shankar was speaking at Paigham-e-Mohabbat function at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre lawns, people started to leave the venue, forcing the spiritual leader to cut short his speech. The people alleged they did not know that Ravi Shankar was to speak there and were invited to the programme on different pretexts. "We reached early in the morning. We were told that we will be given jobs and some management company is giving training here," a group of youths from Pantha Chowk area of the city said.

Another group from central Kashmir's Budgam district said they were told some religious scholar was to shed light on Islam. "We would not have participated in this event had we known who was to speak. We were tricked by the organisers," they claimed.