Cong seeks revocation of resolution mandating ‘Suryanamaskar’

Mumbai, Aug 27 (PTI) Congress today sought revocation ofthe resolution passed by the BMC making ‘Suryanamaskar’compulsory for students of all schools run by the MunicipalCorporation. A 22–member delegation of Mumbai Regional CongressCommittee–Minority Department met Maharashtra Governor ChVidyasagar Rao at Raj Bhavan here and made the demand, a RajBhavan spokesperson said. The delegation asked the Governor to prevail upon thecivic boy to revoke the resolution following which he assuredthem that he will forward the memorandum presented by theCommittee to the state government. The Sena-BJP ruled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation(BMC) had passed a resolution this week making yoga and’Suryanamaskar’ (sun salutation) mandatory in all civicschools here despite strong protests from Opposition partiesincluding Congress, Samajwadi Party and MNS. The ruling allies had rejected the amendment demanded bythe Opposition parties to make yoga optional in schools.Samajwadi Party had also demanded deletion of ‘Suryanamaskar’from the proposal, cleared by the House of the civic body. Opposition parties had alleged that BJP was trying tosaffronise education, both in the Centre and the state byintroducing such proposals. According to Samajwadi corporator Rais Sheikh making’Suryanamaskar’ compulsory in schools is a way to promoteHindutva as its origin lies in Hindu God Surya (Sun). He claimed that if BMC makes this compulsory, Muslimparents would stop sending their children to schools. The AIMIM too expressed strong reservations against theBMC move. AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan said the mandate was againstArticle 25 of the Indian Constitution guaranteeing right tofreedom of religion. The state government had made it optional so how canBMC make it compulsory, he said. However, BJP corporator Dilip Patel, defending theproposal had said, "Now yoga has been internationally acceptedas the best form of exercise. Bringing yoga into the religiousambit is a political tactic by Opposition parties." BMC had on August 23 cleared the proposal tabled by BJPcorporator Samita Kamble with an aim to improve overall healthof students by incorporating the ancient exercise regime intotheir daily routine. PTI VT DKDV