JIH opposes Yoga in schools

The Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has found fault with the recommendations of the New Education Policy of the Central Government stating that the recommendations will hurt the minority institutions’ rights and impose un-Islamic traditions. The policy avoids any positive suggestions for the 13 per cent educationally backward Muslim minorities in the country, it said.

Speaking to reporters here JIH Telangana and Odisha president Hamid Mohammed Khan said that the recommendations of T.S.R. Subramanyam Committee focussed more on corporatisation and not democratisation of education.

He said that the recommendation on yoga training to be introduced in schools was against tenets of Islam. Yoga was mentioned in Bhagavad Geeta for more than 150 pages where Lord Krishna teaches Arjuna to use it to gain power.

The Surya Namaskar, which is part of Yoga, was also against Islamic traditions. This recommendation is against the article 25 of the Indian Constitution, he opined.

The recommendation of reserving 25 per cent of seats for weaker sections in minority institutions is against constitutional provision that guarantees total freedom to minority institutions in imparting education to the community, preserve language and culture.

The JIU supports education in mother tongue at school level and it should be taught till Class 10 rather than up to Class 5 as suggested by the Subramanyam Committee. He also said that the no-detention policy till high school should continue to prevent dropouts and not just till Class 5.

Mr. Khan also felt that Sanskrit was being given extra importance than due to it as per the recommendations.