Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the occasion of his maiden UN General Assembly speech to propose an International Yoga Day last September. By December that proposal had ridden to success with the co-sponsorship of 177 countries. And yet as the world’s first day dedicated to yoga rolls closer, domestic diplomacy has fallen short of that international finesse.
As the message went out that schools would remain open on Sunday, June 21 to mark International Yoga Day, some Muslim groups protested arguing that yoga is closely associated with Hinduism. Plus many students became despondent at the idea of being deprived of yet another holiday, that too in peak summer.
The Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) directive to schools to celebrate International Day of Yoga on June 21, following a declaration by the United Nations, has upset many private schools in the State. Besides having to ask students to come to school on a Sunday, many CBSE schools re-open only on June 22 (Monday), after closing for the summer holidays. In addition, yoga was only an optional subject and many schools lacked yoga teacher. The circular to all the schools, stated: “You are called upon to organise activities and programmes to sensitise and encourage everyone to yoga. As part of your observance, you may encourage students and motivate them to participate in the yoga demonstration from 7 a.m. to 7.35 a.m.” Further, it added: “This being a momentous occasion, you are requested to offer your full cooperation and devoted efforts in making the celebrations a grand success.”
All the schools must also submit a report to the CBSE over the conduct of the celebrations and the participation of students, which put pressure on private schools, says an office-bearer in the Association of Management of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu, which has 265 CBSE schools in the State as members. Tamil Nadu had 509 CBSE-affiliated schools. The circular directed the schools to conduct contests and give prizes on Yoga Day.
As part of its effort to package yoga as a religion-neutral exercise and ensure maximum participation nationwide in the first International Day of Yoga programmes on Jun 21, the Union AYUSH Ministry released a book, Yoga and Islam , on Jun 17 on its ‘universal appeal and acceptance’. Published by the Muslim Rashtriya Manch, an RSS initiative, Yoga and Islam has as its main thrust the idea that yoga does not have anything to do with religion. The book seeks to address apprehensions that minority communities have expressed over participating in the programmes.
It draws parallels between some yoga exercises and namaaz, stating that “namaaz is one sort of yoga asana”. However, the Ministry’s decision to drop ‘Om’ and Surya Namaskar (sun salutation) from the Common Yoga Protocol for Yoga Day has not gone down well with some sections of the Sangh Parivar. Union Minister of State for AYUSH Sripad Naik’s suggestion that Muslims who do not want to chant Shlokas can take the name of Allah instead came in for sharp criticism from Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Praveen Togadia, who said this would not be acceptable to Hindus.
It’s sensible that the Modi government has responded to these demurrals by underlining that this is a voluntary programme and nobody shall be forced into it. It has also clarified that ‘surya namaskar’ will not be part of Yoga Day celebrations because some Muslim leaders have objected to this specific asana as un-Islamic. Why do these concessions matter? Because failure to respect diversity of opinion as evidenced by BJP MP Yogi Adityanath’s grotesque threat of driving those opposing ‘surya namaskar’ into the sea is seen as this government’s Achilles heel.
Remember a similar controversy last year when Christmas was re-anointed Good Governance Day out of the blue. What troubles is the stench of coercion. The Centre shouldn’t be in the business of dictating how citizens celebrate good governance or practise yoga. From America to Iran, people have taken to yoga by choice. In the land of its birth, why should the right to choose be denied? Plus, unless done under expert supervision, yoga carries the risk of slipped disc and other dangers.
Moreover, with 60-70 percent of Indian population being working people living on physical labour in fields, factories and on streets and even the urban and semi-urban working people thriving on mental labour undergoing enormous strain in transportation to working places and returning, where is the need for them for such luxuries of yoga and ‘surya namaskar’? Our urban and rural women-both working and house wives- have more than enough chore to keep themselves physically fit, if only they could get good and nutritious diet.
The hyper-enthusiasm evinced by the BJP regime for a just a physical exercise reinforces doubts voiced by CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury that it is part of ‘Hindutva’ agenda. The government has so many urgent and important tasks to accomplish and let it not fritter away its energy by engaging it such unnecessary, that too controversial projects! (21-06-15)
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