Goa Chief Minister laxmikant Parsekar announced that yoga will not be made mandatory for school students on Sunday June 21, giving in to demands from the large Catholic community, who had opposed the mandatory exercises. Schools could hold the programmes on the preceding Saturday or the following Monday, he said.
“They can do it on a Saturday or Monday in their schools too. It does not have to be on a Sunday only,” Parsekar said. The State Education Department had, in a circular issued to all schools, sought that there be a yoga programme in each school and a photograph of the event be sent to the education department. “The programme is not compulsory. There will be no action taken if schools do not hold the programme,” Parsekar told mediapersons.
Parsekar admitted that the programme would clash with Sunday masses, which Catholic religiously attend. “I have asked those who called me to reschedule their yoga programmes,” Parsekar added. Catholic MlAs in the BJP have been pressuring the Government to not make national directives compulsory in schools as it was giving them uncomfortable moments with their constituents.
“I believe yoga is good for physical well-being of the body... I don’t see any reason why it should be made compulsory and students should be called on a Sunday. I think it is not right,” Alina Saldanha a Catholic MlA told reporters.Catholics account for 26 per cent of the State population.
Earlier the State Government was withdraw an earlier circular issued to all schools asking them to send their pupils to a State level suryanamaskar programme to be held in an Indoor Stadium the capital. June 21 has been declared as the World Yoga day in December last year and yoga performances are expected to be conducted across the country in a bid to make a world record.