A yoga event organised by the Indian Government in Male was disrupted on Tuesday by protesters who claimed it was against the Islamic tenets. Maldives President Mohamed Solih said those responsible for the disruption will be booked.
Reports said an irate group stormed into the national football stadium in Male and disrupted the yoga event organised by the Indian High Commission. More than 150 people, including several diplomats, Government officials and Ministers from the Maldives Government, were also present at the event when the mob barged in.
The police had to resort to firing tear gas shells to control the situation. The programme later continued.
Before the event, the protesters brandished placards proclaiming yoga was against the tenets of Islam. A report from a Maldivian news agency, The Edition, mentioned that a section of Islamists believes performing yoga is akin to worshiping the Sun, a heretic act against Islamic tradition.
The yoga and meditation hour was an initiative by the Indian Cultural Centre (ICCR) in association with the Union Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Community Empowerment on the occasion of the International Day of Yoga.
The agitators carrying banners, placards, and shouting slogans reportedly demanded that the Yoga Day celebrations be called off and the attendees vacate the stadium immediately. Some attendees said they were threatened by members of the mob.
Videos shared on social media showed miscreants armed with sticks and flags charging towards people who were practising yoga and meditation on their yoga mats.
A video posted by Raajje TV showed how the protesters destroyed the venue and trashed food stalls meant for the participants.
President Solih said an enquiry into the incident was ordered.
“An investigation has been launched by @PoliceMv into the incident that happened this morning at Galolhu stadium. This is being treated as a matter of serious concern and those responsible will be swiftly brought before the law,” Solih tweeted.
In a tweet later on Tuesday, the Maldives police sought citizens’ assistance, by way of any evidence or information pertaining to the incident.
Prior to the event, authorities noticed messages on social media deriding the Yoga Day event. The messages claimed yoga was a Hindu mode of worship, urging people of the Islamic country to stay away from the practice.
The Maldives was among the 177 nations that voted in favour of co-sponsoring the UN resolution to commemorate June 21 as the International Day of Yoga.
The announcement of hosting an event to commemorate the International Day of Yoga was met with severe criticism by the citizens, who had even threatened against holding the event.
The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) “unequivocally condemned” the “violent attack”. “These types of egregious and violent acts have no place in a peaceful democratic society such as ours,” the party said in a statement, which noted that the Maldives has been marking ‘World Yoga Day’ since 2015.
The attack on participants at Tuesday’s event comes amid a persisting “India Out” campaign in the Maldives, led by former President Abdulla Yameen and his supporters.