Sun worship rule imposed in Madhya Pradesh irks Christians, Muslims

Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)–led government in Madhya Pradesh has decided to impose a mass yoga program on "surya namaskar," or sun worship on school children – a move that has earned the wrath of Christians and Muslims alike.

The program, attended by over 700,000 school children, including 200,000 from the district of Indore, January 25, is seen as a move by Hindu fundamentalists to impose their religious belief on minority communities in the state.

For weeks, elaborate preparations were made for the "surya namaskar" and "pranayam" program, planned at school, district and State levels, Health Minister Ajay Vishnoi said, January 24.

Earlier, last month, School Education Minister Narottam Mishra made a similar statement, infuriating people of other religious beliefs.

The event that took place across the state, January 25, was monitored by committees formed by District Collectors, and attended by several ministers in the districts.

The main program was led by Swami Mukund Kanitkar of Kanyakumari–based Vivekanada Ashram and telecast and aired across the State, sources said.

Earlier, it was announced that yoga guru (teacher) Baba Ramdev would conduct the program but his unavailability compelled the organizers to change the schedule.

Citizens, private organizations and educational institutes had been invited to attend the program, sources said, adding, two teachers were trained in every block to conduct the program.

However, when Christians and Muslim leaders raised hue and cry, the authorities denied that it was compulsory to attend the program.

School Education Minister Narottam Mishra said the program was voluntary and raising controversy was not appropriate. "In a letter sent to the schools it has been mentioned that students interested in learning Yoga can take part in the Surya Namaskar programme," he said.

"The government can't force students to attend it. The idea is only to inspire the young generation to know more about yoga and its health benefits," L.S. Baghel, commissioner for school education, explained.

However, according to Indranil Dani, principal secretary for education, the program is "compulsory only for public schools even though the government does encourage private schools to participate."

Denouncing the move of the state government, Archbishop Pascal Topno of Bhopal said forcing the schools to salute the Sun in a modern form of Sun worship is "disturbing to non Hindu communities, because 'worship' is a loaded term and [therefore] inappropriate, especially because the government has other more pressing issues to deal with."

"We are proud to be Indians and proud of our Constitution that guarantees us freedom of speech and freedom to choose," the prelate said, "but we are disturbed by the fact that instead of focusing on this we should be polarized by such an issue."

"Muslims too have voiced their concern over the government decision because it is said to be against their religion. Similarly, one of our commandments also says that we should not bow down in front of any other god," he said, adding, "Practices of one religion shouldn't be imposed on people practicing the other."

Explaining that he had nothing against "Surya Namaskar" or other Hindu rituals, the prelate questioned the Madhya Pradesh government's decision to make the practice compulsory in all government schools and colleges.

"People from other communities should be given the freedom and the choice to say 'no' to it," said Archbishop Topno, acknowledging that the Catholic Church had not received any direct orders from the government mandating the practice.

The Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) has also condemned the move by the government urging it to revoke its order and allow educational institutions to stick to education in the strictest sense of the term and foster an inclusive and secularist culture.

"By insisting that schools, especially government schools participate in a religious program, the Madhya Pradesh government is violating a basic principle of Secularism as enshrined in the Indian Constitution," Rev. Richard Howell, general secretary, EFI, said.

Many Muslim organizations, including Bharatiya Muslim Sangh and Jamiat Ulma Hind, in the state, which were critical of the government's decision, decided not to send their children to school if the authorities refused to cancel the ceremony, as Islam did not allow Muslims to bow in front of anyone but Allah, their Prophet.

Jamiat Ulma Hind, which had earlier succeeded in obtaining a direction from the High Court that participation in the mass yoga program is voluntary and should be attended only by those who wanted to participate in it, has also requested State Governor Balram Jakhar to prevent the BJP government from organizing the event in the future.

No individual or institution should be forced to take part in the program, the High Court Bench had ordered while issuing notice to the state government to reply within four weeks on petitioner's contention that the program was aimed at "saffronization" and would hurt religious sentiments of minority communities.

Terming the program as against the spirit of the Constitution, the petitioners alleged that it was aimed at promoting saffron ideology and said such activities should not be carried out by the government.

According to a Jamiat Ulma Hind group representative, "to force Muslim children to worship the sun is unconstitutional and against Islam."

"Though we don't have objections to any kind of yogic exercise, yet it is unconstitutional to force students of all religions to recite religious verses during 'Surya Namaskar' – which we believe is worship of sun and against Islam," Jamiat Ulma Hind executive member Haji Mohd. Haroon said.

"Booklets carrying 'slokas' (religious verses) have also been circulated among the schools for recitation," the Muslim representatives said, claiming to have garnered support of their Christian counterparts against it.

"Sections 25 and 26 of the Muslim Personal Law Board prohibits organizing 'Surya Namaskar.' Therefore, Muslim students cannot take part in it," Madhya Pradesh Jamait Ulma spokesperson Nurullah Yusuf Jai announced.

Madhya Pradesh Minorities Commission Chairman Anwar Mohammed said he had received oral complaints in this regard but no written complaints or proof had been received.

Meanwhile, State Public Works Department Minister, Kailash Vijayvargiya, who presided over the program in Indore, said that 'Surya Namaskar' was a revolutionary step initiated by the State Government and any opposition to such an exercise was improper.

According to news reports, State Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, participated in the main function at the TT Nagar Stadium in Bhopal where arrangements were made to telecast and air it across the state.

His cabinet colleagues were sent to districts to make arrangements for 'Surya Namaskar' and yoga, the media said.

The Chief Minister who has announced Rs. 1 lakh award for excellence in promoting yoga also recommended that yoga be included in school curriculum in the state.

Claiming that only a section of minorities was opposing the program, the Chief Minister said that the government had only health benefits in mind when it sought to promote the ancient practice.

The Madhya Pradesh Government would constitute the Yoga Council to popularize the exercise, he said.

'Surya Namaskar' or sun salutation or prayer, comprising of 'Pranayam,' the control of breath and several main 'yogasanas.' A modern form of sun worship, it is the main component of yoga and one of the first lessons of yoga. The name comes from Sanskrit and means "prostrating oneself before the luminous disc."