International Yoga Day: RSS to hold 1,100 camps on June 21

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“Principals and students would be told about the usefulness of yoga and if they think, they might make it a part of their curriculum. Any individual or organisation, irrespective of religious beliefs, who wants to take part in the programme is welcome,” said Madhumay Nath, Kreeda Bharati Secretary (eastern zone).

The 20 organisations that will take part in the event included Art of Living, Patanjali Yog Samity, Yoga Federation of India, Vivekananda Kendra, West Bengal Yoga Association, Bengal Yoga Welfare Association and Arogya Bharati.

Major General (retd) S N Mukherjee, president of International Yoga Day Celebration Committee, said it was an attempt to make people aware of the “holistic development” yoga can bring about. “It has raised a lot of eyebrows and many have questioned surya namaskar and chanting of slokas. It will not be made mandatory,” he said.

Muslim religious leaders, however, said the state government might lose several Muslim voters if it supports the cause. Syed Mohammed Nurur Rahman Barkati, imam of Tipu Sultan Masjid, is opposed to the Trinamool government’s plans to hold a programme on yoga at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata on June 21.

“If the state allows it to happen like the way the RSS has planned, it might hurt Muslim sentiments and TMC will definitely lose out on Muslim support,” he said.

Claiming that he has changed his mind about telling Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to stop the event, Barkati added: “If I tell her that she will lose Muslim votes, she might argue that she will lose Hindu support if she didn’t.”

What Trinamool leaders say

I don’t know anything about yoga… I don’t exercise other than walking. I only eat, work and put on weight. The CM, I am sure, will not make it mandatory…
– Firhad Hakim, Urban Development Minister

If it’s restricted to physical exercise, I don’t think anyone will have a problem… But if physical fitness is the motive, what is the point of making surya namaskar mandatory?
– Abdul Karim Chowdhury, Mass Education Extension, Library Services Minister

Yoga is a form of exercise and is being politicised. If one thinks he is not okay with certain aspects of yoga that affects his faith, he may just do physical exercise.
– Haider Aziz Safwi, Correctional Administration Minister

Islam doesn’t permit yoga and thus, I will not be a part of it. Whether Narendra Modi promotes it or Sushma Swaraj, is immaterial to me. It is BJP’s move to create communal tension…
– Javed Ahmed Khan, Fire Services Minister