By TCN News
The decision of the Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation to make Surya Namaskar compulsory in the over 1,200 schools run by the civic body has come under criticism from Muslims.
Muslims for Secular Democracy (MSD), a Mumbai based association which includes civil rights activist Javed Anand and political activist Feroze Mithiborwala, strongly protested against the decision.
“While the combination of yogasana postures involved may well be beneficial for good health, Surya Namaskar does mean “salutations to Lord Surya (The Sun), the giver of energy to the world” and is widely regarded as “a wonderful regular routine of exercise, prayer and worship given in the scriptures”. It is for this reason that very many Muslims find Surya Namaskar objectionable since Islam forbids bowing before or worship of anyone except God,” the assoication said in a release.
MSD said that the BJP’s decision to impose Surya Namaskar on all students irrespective of religion is an integral part of its saffronisation agenda and supported the demand for a rollback of this unconstitutional decision of the BJP and its ally, the Shiv Sena.