India will lead 191 nations to mark the ‘International Yoga Day’on June 21, highlighted by a mega event on Rajpath, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Tuesday clear that participation in the events was not ‘compulsory’.
Swaraj noted that the apprehensions in certain sections of the minority community was due to “lack of information”. “They (minority groups) are probably saying this because
they don’t have the information. Fourty-seven members-states of Organisation of Islamic Countries have not only supported the India-led resolution at the UN but are also co-sponsoring the events. It includes countries like Saudi Arabia and Indonesia which are Muslims countries that have co-sponsored this resolution,” Swaraj said
In the Indian context, she said, “If the Muslim community in India wants to perform it after roza iftar, then they are free do it. The time limit is only for government function. Other organisations are free to do whenever they want.”
She also decried BJP MP Yogi Adityanath’s statement that those opposing ‘Surya Namaskar’ (sun salutation) should ‘drown in the sea’, and said the statement was ‘unfortunate’.
Responding to a question, Swaraj, who addressed the press along with Shripad Naik, minister for AYUSH, the coordinating ministry for the IYD events, also said it is not that anything that the Bharatiya Janata Party does is ‘anti-minority’.
Responding to another question on yoga guru Ramdev’s statement that offering namaz is similar to doing yoga, she added, “as far as Baba Ramdev is concerned, he is trying to say that yoga is not restricted to any religion. The asanas that happen in yoga…namaz also has those kriyas.”
On opposition voiced by some organisations, including the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, against performance of Surya Namaskar as it was against their faith, she said, “A committee was formed that consulted all major yoga institutions.
