NGO protests against forced surya namaskar in schools

TEAM HERALD

teamherald@herald-goa.com

PANJIM: An NGO has written to the governor, the chief minister, the education minister as well as the chairman of the National Minorities Commission complaining about all students being forced to take part in the mass display of surya namaskar recently. 

The Catholic Association of Goa protested against the involvement of many Catholic students who were compelled to do the surya namaskar in a mass display organized by the Education Department along with the Director of Sports and Youth Affairs.

“The Education Department’s circular to the schools was not very clear and hence almost all the Catholics schools made it compulsory for the students of IX, X and XI. This is totally against the religious freedom as provided for in the Constitution of India.  The Physical Education teachers of each school went overboard to please the Department and DSYA and even threatened students that if they didn’t take part, then they would be barred from answering the forthcoming exams. Students who remained absent for the day, were given ‘remarks’ on their school calendar and asked to get a doctor’s sick note. This is harassment and against religious freedom,” CAG complaint alleged. A copy of the letter has been sent to the archbishop as well.

The letter states that in Madhya Pradesh, the Catholic Bishops’ Council of Madhya Pradesh filed a case in the High Court against the Government of M P against compulsory ‘sun worship’ (surya namaskar) for minority schools. The Govt of M P gave an undertaking in the High Court that sun worship or surya namaskar is voluntary for the schools and students and hence thereafter the case was withdrawn. 

“We are of the opinion that one cannot impose / enforce his beliefs on another, specially the young impressionable minds of students, (since) it definitely infringes on the freedom to practice one’s own beliefs & worship. Our contention is that the surya namaskar should not have been made compulsory,” says CAG adding that schools and the students should have been given clear (visible) freedom (without any hidden threat) to participate or not in this. 

The NGO has also condemned the attitude of the Goa Education Board and the Directorate of Sports & Youth Affairs and asked for investigation and action taken against all those found guilty of forcing children to participate in this mass display of surya namaskar.