Mumbai: Terming the decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai ‘political’, spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Saturday said that he would never accept the award. He was in Latur on Saturday to review the drought situation in Marathwada when he made the statement.

“I believe in working and not in being honoured for my work. We should always honour only those who deserve it and I am totally against honouring Malala Yousafzai with the prize and it is of no use,” he said.

The guru is on a visit to drought-hit areas and went to Latur on Saturday where his Art of Living organisation is working towards restoring rivers. He said, “The government has to work towards a sustainable model and should take appropriate steps towards the rising farmer suicides in the state. I also appeal to farmers of the state to not commit suicide as that is not the ultimate solution for all the problems arising out of drought.”

The spiritual leader met members of several organisations where he stressed on adopting measures to prevent families of farmers from falling prey to distress, which, according to him, is one of the major causes of farmers committing suicide, which in turn causes suffering to their kin.