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India will lead 191 nations to mark the 'International Yoga Day'on June 21, highlighted by a mega event on Rajpath, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Tuesday clear that participation in the events was not ‘compulsory’.
Swaraj noted that the apprehensions in certain sections of the minority community was due to "lack of information". "They (minority groups) are probably saying this because
they don't have the information. Fourty-seven members-states of Organisation of Islamic Countries have not only supported the India-led resolution at the UN but are also co-sponsoring the events. It includes countries like Saudi Arabia and Indonesia which are Muslims countries that have co-sponsored this resolution," Swaraj said
In the Indian context, she said, "If the Muslim community in India wants to perform it after roza iftar, then they are free do it. The time limit is only for government function. Other organisations are free to do whenever they want."
She also decried BJP MP Yogi Adityanath's statement that those opposing 'Surya Namaskar' (sun salutation) should ‘drown in the sea’, and said the statement was ‘unfortunate’.
Responding to a question, Swaraj, who addressed the press along with Shripad Naik, minister for AYUSH, the coordinating ministry for the IYD events, also said it is not that anything that the Bharatiya Janata Party does is ‘anti-minority’.
Responding to another question on yoga guru Ramdev's statement that offering namaz is similar to doing yoga, she added, "as far as Baba Ramdev is concerned, he is trying to say that yoga is not restricted to any religion. The asanas that happen in yoga...namaz also has those kriyas."
On opposition voiced by some organisations, including the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, against performance of Surya Namaskar as it was against their faith, she said, "A committee was formed that consulted all major yoga institutions.
"They made a common protocol for missions abroad and for governmental purpose...surya namaskar was not included in it because they wanted easy asanas (exercise) in it, which can be performed by anyone," she said.
"Those suffering from spondylitis and arthiritis are not advised to perform certain asanas. Surya namaskar, in itself, is a combination of 12 asanas.
"There are 15 asanas in the protocol, only those asanas are included which could be done by everyone. Surya namaskar has been kept seperate. However, there is no ban on it. Even in the government programmes, if someone wants to do Surya Namaskar, they can do it," she said.
The UN General Assembly had in December adopted an India-led resolution declaring June 21 as 'International Yoga Day', three months after the prime minister had proposed the idea.
To a question whether the government has invited Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi for the event, Swaraj said ‘although they have been invited to the mega event at Rajpath, I do not think they will come judging by the comments they have been making.’
She said initially it was decided that yoga will be performed at one particular hour across the world on the lines of event such as Earth Hour.
However since the Roza will be observed by Muslims it was decided there should be no restriction on timing. Asked whether there should be a separate topic on yoga in school curriculum, Swaraj responded in the affirmative.
"This is just the beginning. When people get satisfaction out of this then they will themselves start doing it. But we will not enforce it.
"This should certainly start in the schools so that kids learn it, so that they can have good health and beat stress. But there would be an option. If anyone wants to opt for it can do that. We will not impose it on anyone," she said.
India, Swaraj said, would never like an Intellectual Property Rights stamp on yoga as it felt it was for the entire mankind.