“Yoga is not a religion, but a way of life,” reads a quote on the official website of the International Day of Yoga. Nobody seems to have read this profound quote on the site though. Even as the International Day for Yoga approaches its second anniversary in India, Opposition parties are accusing the central government of pushing a ‘sectarian agenda’ in the guise of promoting yoga.
The root of all the renewed consternation lies in the Common Yoga Protocol – a circular released by the government, which details a 45-minute program to be followed by participants on the International Day of Yoga, which is on June 21. According to the circular, the first two minutes of the session should be dedicated to a prayer. So far, so groovy. But here’s the rub: prayer according to the circular is chanting ‘Om’ thrice, followed by reciting a Vedic shloka and rounding up with the holy proclamation of ‘Om Shanti Shanti Shanti’.
If you’re wondering why ‘sickular’ parties are interpreting such an innocuous call for world peace as ‘sectarian agenda’ while going on about prayer being an integral part of yoga, then take a deep breath. As the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) booklet states that beginning a yoga session with a prayer “enhances the benefits of practise”.
Instead of focusing on India’s rising esteem in the world through International Day of Yoga and how the event is spreading awareness about the country’s cultural riches, Congress spokesperson PC Chacko said that certain sections of society may have “reservations in chanting ‘Om’”. KC Tyagi of Janata Dal (U) accused the government of “propagating yoga with an ulterior motive”. Shafique Qazmi, a Muslim cleric, also entered the fray and said that being mandated to chant ‘Om’ is “against secularism”.
Now, this government may stand against ‘sickulars’ but it cannot let its true secular credentials be tarnished. After all, we know how the pious BJP adores the Upanishads, which tell us that “the world is one family” (Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam). As a result, the government clarified on Tuesday that “there is no compulsion to chant ‘Om’” even if there is a strong recommendation from the government that one do so. Even chief custodian of Indian nationalism, Anupam Kher said, “Those who don’t want to say ‘Om’ shouldn’t say it, there is no problem”.
Who’s intolerant now, sickulars?