New Delhi, March 6: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Syria remark over Ram temple issue on Monday was slammed by the leaders from different political parties, calling it "provocative". "Sri Sri Ravi Shankar should refrain from giving out such provocative statements," senior Janata Dal (United) leader KC Tyagi told ANI. Echoing the same, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Majid Memon termed the Art of Living (AoL) founder's remarks sad. "I am sad to hear this comment from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji. I did not expect him to give a statement that could increase violence," said Memon.

He further questioned the reason behind Ravi Shankar's intervention, "I would also very respectfully like to ask that the intervention you are doing, where were you from the past 25 years? He is coming out and talking about the issue just when the time when the Supreme Court is about to announce its decision."

Meanwhile, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit called the AOL's statement a "good entertainment value". On Monday, the Art of Living founder, in an interview with a leading television channel, had said that any delay in resolving the Ram temple issue could result in a Syria-like situation in India. "If the Ram Mandir issue is not solved, we will have a Syria in India," Ravi Shankar said during the interview.