Yoga in schools Proposal passed

Despite protests from Opposition parties, the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP combine in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday passed a proposal to make yoga and Surya Namaskar mandatory in municipal schools. The proposal was cleared with a majority even as Opposition parties created uproar in the House.

BJP corporator from Mulund Samita Kamble had moved the proposal, saying yoga and Surya Namaskar would help the students of 1,285 BMC schools maintain their fitness. She had also demanded that these exercises be made mandatory in all civic schools, including the nearly 400 Urdu-medium ones.

As expected, Opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Maha Navnirman Sena (MNS), fiercely opposed the proposal.

Saying that the proposal should be turned down, SP group leader Rais Shaikh threatened that the Muslim community would remove its kids from municipal schools. He said, “Surya Namaskar is a worship of the sun god and hence we oppose it. If Surya Namaskar is forced upon us in the name of religion, we will withdraw our students from municipal schools.”

Mr Shaikh added: “Education should not be mixed with religion. This is an attempt to create a rift between religions. The BJP has been attempting to saffronise education since coming to power at the Centre and in the state.”

Opposition leader Pravin Chheda from the Congress demanded that instead of making it mandatory, yoga and Surya Namaskar be made optional in municipal schools. However, his suggestion was defeated by a voice vote in the House and, later, the original proposal was passed with the Shiv Sena-BJP corporators voting in its favour.