With the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Academic Council rejecting introduction of short-term course in yoga, Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma on Monday called for rising above politics when it comes to the ancient Indian art, saying it is being accepted all over the world.
“We are here for the people who support yoga... When we talk of yoga, everybody should rise above politics,” he said after a Press conference to announce ‘Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav-2016’.When asked about the decision of the top decision making body, Sharma said yoga is an individual’s choice and not a “compulsion” on anybody.
He said yoga is being accepted all over the world and it was a moment of pride for India when International Yoga Day was declared by the United Nations.
International Yoga Day is celebrated on June 21, the date suggested by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Academic Council (AC), the statutory decision making body of JNU which had been in the centre of controversy over anti-India slogans, has rejected a proposal regarding introduction of short-term courses in Indian culture and yoga second time. The proposal to introduce three short-term courses in these subjects had come last year, insisting on propagation of culture in educational campuses to promote India’s rich heritage and restore its identity.