After UGC advisory, AIMPLB asks Muslim students not to participate in 'Surya Namaskar'

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board Tuesday asked Muslim students not to participate in Surya Namaskar exercise, claiming it is a form of sun worship which is not allowed in their religion.It also demanded the government withdraw an order issued by the University Grants Commission UGC in this regard.

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board Tuesday asked Muslim students not to participate in 'Surya Namaskar' exercise, claiming it is a form of ''sun worship'' which is not allowed in their religion.

It also demanded the government withdraw an order issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in this regard. On December 29, the UGC had issued a notice requesting all higher educational institutes to have their students perform the ‘Surya Namaskar’ exercise as part of the celebrations of the country's 75th year of independence. In an official statement, the AIMPLB Tuesday said India is a secular country where many religions are practised. ''Sun worship is not allowed in Islam and other minority religions. The government should withdraw the order while respecting the secular values enshrined in the Constitution,'' it said.

If the government wishes to organise any programme in schools it should organise something related to patriotic music, it said. The statement said the government should instead focus on issues like unemployment, price rise and its ''failure'' to protect the country's borders. ''Muslim students are not allowed to participate in the programme,'' read the AIMPLB statement. Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh reacted to the statement, advising the AIMPLB to desist from ''politics'' and alleging it appears the Board's stand is aimed at benefiting the Congress in election.

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