In an attempt to pour oil on the on-going controversy on celebration of International Yoga day on June 21 with Muslim community threatening to move the court, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that there was no compulsion for anyone to take part in the function as Union Government “had never made participation compulsory.”
“The Government has never announced participation a must for all. But we want that people from all caste, creed and religion should take part in the Yoga festival. People should not create controversy over this issue,” Singh told reporters here on Tuesday. Singh, who is on two days visit to his parliamentary constituency said that on the initiative of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi United Nations have accepted India’s proposal to celebrate June 21 as International Yoga Day and 172 countries will take part in massive programme. It is an Indian science and we should propagate it,” he said.
When asked about the objections raised by the All India Muslim Personnel law Board calling Yoga and Sura Namaskar an un-Islamic act he said: “I cannot comment on AIMPlB decision but this is true that many Muslim countries like Bangladesh will celebrate Yoga Day on massive scale on June 21.” Singh said that he will take part in a massive programme to be held in his Parliamentary constituency on June 21 where members of all government organizations; children from different schools and members of para-military forces will take part.
When asked about BJP’s prospect in the Bihar elections after JD (U)-RJD and Congress stitched an alliance Singh said that people of Bihar have already made up their mind to support the BJP and the next government will be of the party. “This alliance will have no impact on the BJP. We are on the strong footing. People have seen one year’s performance of Modi Government and they will definitely vote for stability than anarchy,” Home Minister said. When asked whether the party will announce Chief Minister’s name before hand, Singh said: “The decision will be taken by the central Parliamentary Committee.”
The Union Home minister also appealed to the Naxalites to join the main stream and shun violence. “They are part and parcel of the society and hence they should also join the country’s development agenda,” he added. Earlier the MP from lucknow had announced a Rs 3000 crore outer ring road for the state capital to be constructed by NHAI.
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Scorching the allegations of AAP that Home Department was behind arrest of its law Minister Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that his ministry has nothing to do with the arrest. “The Home Ministry does not order arrest of people. It is police that arrests people on the merit of the case,” he told reporters here on Tuesday. Delhi law minister Jitendra Singh Tomar was arrested by Delhi police for having an fake law degree. “The arrest must have been made after investigation,” Singh said.