Oppn sees red as notice of motion on suryanamaskar in schools is passed

Suryanamaskar, an integral part of Yoga, may now be started in all civic schools in Mumbai. A notice of motion moved by BJP corporator Samita Kamble was approved in the general body meeting by a majority, leaving Opposition parties red-faced and sulking. SP leader Rais Shaikh even said that if suryanamaskar is made compulsory, "we will not send our children to school".

The Congress suggested that Yoga in civic schools should be made optional. Party leader Pravin Chheda said no one should thrust such a decision on children belonging to different religions.

The notice of motion demanded that suryanamaskar and Yoga be practised at prayer time; it was objected vociferously by the SP, NCP, Congress and MNS.

Shaikh said Islam does not allow bowing before anybody other than Allah, and that suryanamaskar is a "religious practice of offering prayer to the sun which is not allowed in our religion". "The BJP has already entered our kitchen by dictating what to eat. Now, it is trying to brainwash our children by saffronising education with its ideology. We will not tolerate this," he added.

BJP corporators argued that it was just an exercise that would help the development of children.

MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande, however, retorted that children's view and religion should be respected and that the BJP can't force its ideology on them through schools.