Rajasthan government defends 'Surya Namaskar' in schools

The BJP-led Rajasthan government Wednesday defended its move to implement 'Surya Namaskar' (Sun worship) in schools across the state.

"Surya Namaskar, yoga and meditation are good for physical and mental development of a child," Minister of State for Primary and Secondary Education Vasudev Devnani told IANS.

The minister said the sun is not of any religion but it is the one which gives "Urja" (Energy) to all.

"Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has already given her consent on this directive and we are not the only state as Madhya Pradesh has already implemented it."

"No one has come to me opposing it. I only know that three things which we made mandatory are good for the overall development of a child," the minister said.

The state government Tuesday issued a directive, making Surya Namaskar, yoga and meditation mandatory in all government secondary and senior secondary schools.

Under the directive issued by the state education department, initial 5 minutes will be spent on prayers, 10 minutes on yoga, meditation and Surya Namaskar and another 5 minutes on reading English and Hindi newspapers.

However, some of Muslim organisations have raised strong opposition against the move.

"We are going to write to National Human Right Commission and lodge a formal complaint against it. We are also planning to seek legal advice on it," Khursheed Husain, president, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, told IANS.

Younis Chopdar, secretary of Muslim Mahasabha Rajasthan, said: "We have already sent an e-mail to the chief minister opposing the directive. We are even thinking of not sending our community students to schools."

Meanwhile, a teachers' body said the move has violated the right to freedom of religion guaranteed by the constitution.