High Court Rejects Muslim Forum's Petition Against Surya Namaskar Mandate in Rajasthan Schools

The focus now shifts to whether students from the Muslim community will participate in the Surya Namaskar sessions scheduled to begin in schools across the state beginning February 15.

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Jaipur- The controversy over Surya Namaskar in Rajasthan schools shows no signs of abating. On one hand, the Rajasthan High Court has dismissed the petition filed by the Muslim Forum on this matter, while on the other hand, other Muslim organizations have called for a boycott of schools on February 15.

However, the Education Minister of Rajasthan has clarified the government's stance, stating that Surya Namaskar is not a religious activity. He emphasized that this provision is being implemented for the holistic development of school children.

The BJP government in Rajasthan has mandated the practice of Surya Namaskar in all government schools from February 15, that sparked opposition from several Muslim organizations. One of the groups voiced their concerns by petitioning the High Court, seeking a ban on this directive from the Education Department.

However, on Wednesday, the High Court dealt a significant setback to the Muslim organizations by rejecting their petition.

During the hearing, Justice Mahendra Goyal's bench pointed out that the Muslim Forum, which filed the petition, is not a registered organization and does not represent school children.

According to sources, the petitions from the Muslim Forum and AIMIM consider the state government's order as unconstitutional. It has been argued that this order violates Article 25 of the Constitution.

Consequently, the court dismissed the petition from the Muslim Forum. Nevertheless, the court decided to postpone the hearing on a petition filed by lawyer Kashif Subedi (AIMIM), scheduling it for a later date.

It is notable that the Education Department of Rajasthan issued the order to introduce Surya Namaskar in schools on January 15. In response, numerous Muslim organizations urged Muslim students to refrain from participating in Surya Namaskar. Jamiat Ulema Hind asserted that Surya Namaskar constitutes a religious practice, containing verses and actions akin to worship, which are incompatible with Islamic beliefs. Therefore, they declared their opposition to it.

Jamiat Ulema Hind further emphasized that the Indian Constitution grants individuals the freedom to adhere to their religious beliefs, and the government's directive encroaches upon this freedom.

The Education Department has made necessary preparations for the implementation of the Surya Namaskar program in schools.

Education Minister Madan Dilawar has taken an active role in guiding departmental officers through numerous meetings, and he has even personally engaged in yoga sessions with students at schools. With these efforts underway, attention now turns to whether students from the Muslim community will partake in the upcoming Surya Namaskar sessions scheduled to commence in schools across the state tomorrow.