Social movements must work from outside electoral system: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has welcomed Anna Hazare's decision to stay away from politics, saying social movements must work from outside the electoral system. "Movements have their own role to play. It is not for a political party. I feel that movements should encourage values in political parties," he said. "They should pressure to bring un-corrupt, non-criminal elements in politics. We need a vote bank of honest people today in the world," he added. Team Anna suffered a vertical split with Anna Hazare and some top activists choosing to part ways with the Arvind Kejriwal-led group, opposing their plans to form a political party. Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan, Manish Sisodia and others want to form a political party and contest elections to usher in fundamental changes in the country's democratic structure. Hazare had staged a hunger strike against corruption that roused public ire against the government. Thousands took to the streets at his call, demanding for an anti-graft Lokpal (ombudsman) to tackle rampant graft.