Spiritual leader and founder of Art of Living Foundation Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has spoken out on the death of Hyderabad University research scholar Rohith Vemula.

Speaking to The Quint, he called the death ‘an act of crime’, but was also quick to add that the issue shouldn’t be politicized in the name of caste.

Not denying that casteism still exists in schools and colleges, he says that "The caste system is not playing a big role like it used to - once upon a time. It does exist even today, but on a political level."

When asked if all the activism surrounding Rohith's death was justified. he said:

This is an exercise to divide society. A crime happened. Someone dies, you think only that caste person will have feeling for that? That's nonsese. Any good human being...his heart will cry for anybody who has been a victim of a crime. People of all castes have stood up against such violence...such discrimination (sic)

Watch the interview here.