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Why are Muslims opposing yoga when Muslim countries are supporting it? Minister Naik
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By Bhavana AkellaNew Delhi, June 12
Over 47 Muslim-majority
countries have supported the International Day of Yoga, yet some
Indian communities, including sections of Muslims, are opposing it,
Shripad Yesso Naik, the minister of state for yoga and traditional
medicine, has said.
"Over 47 Arab countries have not only
supported the event but have also become partners. All the countries
abroad want to help us with the event while Indian communities want to
oppose it," Naik told IANS in an interview ahead of the International
Day of Yoga on June 21.
"We have requested all Indian communities to support the cause and not politicise it," the minister added.
Rebutting
as baseless the allegations that the International Day of Yoga is meant
to spread the Hindutva agenda, Naik said one of its elements, the
'surya namaskar' (yogic postures for prayers to the sun) has been taken
out of the day's activities.
The ministry has received
objections from the Muslim leaders that surya namaskar required everyone
to pray to the sun, while Muslims were allowed to pray only to Allah.
"We
do not want any controversy over surya namaskar. There is no compulsion
to chant any prayer and if people do not wish to say 'om' they can
chant 'Allah'," Naik said, adding that the leaders have extended their
support after a meeting with him.
"Yoga is a Indian identity. We
have every need to celebrate it. Through this celebration we aim to
reach out to every nook and corner of the world and spread the benefits
of yoga," Naik said.
"Our aim is to unite the people for a better world," he added.
The
UN had declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga on the
suggesion of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his address at
the 69th General Assembly session last September. The resolution
received support from 177 countries on the spot and from few which had
joined later, making it perhaps, the biggest resolution in history, Naik
said.
Naik's ministry, as also the external affairs ministry,
have been tasked with organizing the first International Day of Yoga in
India and abroad, with the activities expected to be held across 193
countries.
The event in India, which involves a budget of over
Rs. 30 crores ($4.5 million), is expected to see more than 35,000 people
performing yoga at Rajpath along with millions of people from across
the world also performing in their countries.
The prime
minister, other government ministers and officials, as also foreign
delegations are expected to be present for the event.
Over 100
yoga training centres have been opened ahead of of the International Day
of Yoga, apart from over 560 centres in each district of the country.
The
ministry also aims for a place in the Guinness World Records for the
largest yoga congregation, the minister added. The current record is
held by Gwalior's Vivekanand Kendra, where 29,773 people simultaneously
performed yoga.
Naik also refuted the Congress spokesperson
Abhishek Singhvi's remarks that the International Day of Yoga is just a
"photo opportunity"'. Naik said, “ (Congress vice president) Rahul
Gandhi's act of visiting a hut and having a meal – that was a photo
opportunity,†he retorted
The 62-year-old minister said yoga has
been a part of his everyday schedule for the past three decades. "It
feels like I have missed something if I don't do my yoga for a day,"
Naik added with a laugh.
The ministry plans to set up a yoga
Institute in the near future, Naik said, adding that the government
should give a thought to introducing it in schools as well, although not
as a compulsion.
(Bhavana Akella can be contacted at [email protected])