Panaji: Goa’s Catholic legislators and representatives of minority educational institutions could raise the issue of compulsory yoga in the state’s schools on the occasion of World Yoga day on June 21.
After a meeting of all Catholic MLAs and officials of the Roman Catholic Church-operated Diocesan Society of Education, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Calangute assembly constituency Michael Lobo told reporters on Wednesday that instead of making yoga compulsory, the decision should be left to individual school managements and parents.
“The MLAs are not taken into confidence. We would have to discuss about this… The discussion may take place tomorrow (Thursday), if the Diocesan Society of Education (DSE) takes it up (with the chief minister),” Lobo said.
Lobo, along with nearly a dozen Catholic legislators across party lines, met DSE secretary Fr. Zeferino D’Souza over a host of issues related to minority educational institutions in the state, specifically about the BJP-led coalition government’s refusal to give requisite permissions to start four new higher secondary schools built by the Society.
The Catholic lawmakers from the BJP, Congress, Goa Vikas Party and even Independent minority legislators along with DSE officials are scheduled to meet the chief minister on Thursday where the issue of compulsory yoga is also expected to be discussed, Lobo said.
“Ideally, the individual school managements and parents should decide… but we will take up the issue with the chief minister,” Lobo said.
June 21 has been declared as the World Yoga day and compulsory yoga is expected to be conducted across the country.
Its very funny- UN has decided 21 June as Yoga day… but our sickularists have objections to it! Yoga is to keep ourselves fit and united , not for silly fight against it!
Its very funny – UN has decided 21 June as Yoga Day.. – Mangu Man (Zimbabwe missing) Lol…
Mangu… who cares about the UN?
Where was the UN when the USA decided to unilaterally wage war on Iraq and Afghanistan? Who is paying for it now? Our Origi Rampu’s 30 – 35% taxes go towards funding the ‘no boots on soil’ in the Levant.
Instead, they send our beloved Dronu Sugam’s. 😛
When catholic legislators joined BJp and got elected and in Govt they have to obey and participate in Yoga.
These legislators are an embarrassment to our nation. We should see yoga as part of physical education. I would be the first one to oppose any attempt to use yoga to promote any religion. Teaching yoga postures to kids is a great way to make them healthier and prepare them for life. What this incident demonstrate is a perpetual self-hating culture cultivated in our country over generations based on pure dogma and insecure religious feelings!! I truly wish we were more secular in real sense!!
Teaching Yoga postures to kids…… blah blah… Blah Blah Rampu
Arre saaru, leave your job and teach yaar. Build an empire like your babadeva Ram(pa)deva. 🙂
BJP again proves it has no respect for the civil and constitutional rights of non-hindus.
The Catholic legislators have a point. I don’t think they oppose Yoga in any way. Yoga, as a physical exercise routine and also with its association with mediation, will do immense good to the practitioners. I don’t think the Catholic legislators in Goa oppose this at all. What they are opposing is the globetrotter Government’s insistence that the school kids and the teachers are dragged out of their homes on a Sunday, merely because it pleases certain organisations that support the globetrotter on religious grounds and.or ill-placed emotional attachment to Yoga. It is important to see Yoga as a form… Read more »
In Sanskrit Yoga means “to unite” ie to unite with the invisible God. Only God can teach us how to unite with him. Those who believe in God know that both God and Satan can influence our thoughts. Therefore all meditations should precede with a prayer to God so that the onus is put on God. Yoga comes from Upanishads. Surfing through the net will give voluminous information. It is in Upanishad the Yoga prayer is given to unite us with the invisible creator. It is called the Hindu prayer “Lead me from untruth to truth ,darkness to light and… Read more »
Dear readers, Non-Hindu may opt for their own mode of exercise or religious prayers.-Mr.Hari Prasad India is going to have Yoga Day on 21st June. Not only it is being organised by the Government itself but is being organised on a day when “Surya Devata” (Sun god) will be visible for the maximum time in the year. And of course the initiative came from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has been travelling around the world as Hindu Prime Minister of India, distributing Gita and visiting temples. It is always good if a person is practically religious, and those who campaign… Read more »
Sharia Shaikh,
Why do you and your folks always demand ‘special treatment’ and special rights when you are not the majority? Let’s get this right – your opposition to yoga is entirely based on your religious beliefs. So, you don’t like yoga, you don’t want to sing Vande mataram. You don’t respect local tradition or culture. You won’t even acknowledge that Paakistaana is our enemy nation simply because of your religious affiliation. So, do you even respect India? Who are you loyal to? Don’t be under the impression that your ‘taqiyya’ tricks are going to work here!!
Original RSS asks, “Why do you and your folk always demand “special treatment” and “special rights”, when you are not the majority?” This is what was written in Golwalkar’s Book, “A bunch of thoughts”. He said the non-Hindus must accept Hinduism or quit. Original too repeats the same. RSS does not know a thing about democracy and it is dictatorial to the hilt. He asks, how in a democracy the minorities could demand anything! He does not know that the underlying principle of democracy is concord and co-existence of the different. If democracy is uniformity and homogeneity, why any elections… Read more »
What we are witnessing here reinforced by posts of Manga(L), Roy and Sharia Shaikh is the fundamental difference between tolerant and intolerant ideologies. There is a direct link between yoga controversy and a doctrine of ‘true god-vs-false god’. This is the doctrine of intolerance and opposition to any outside influence and culture. Yoga, in the eyes of these guys, is a symbol of something that they don’t believe in. Yoga represents false gods to these intolerant minds. There is absolutely no reason other than religious dogma to reject yoga especially when it is taught in a non-religious fashion. I would… Read more »
Original RSS should know that our law defines in an inclusive classification that “the term hindu includes a Buddhist, a Sikh or a jain”. It does not make the same applicable to other religions, why?
The answer to your question lies in the law. Ask Modi to change the law and then repeat your question!