By NE NOW NEWS
Dimapur: The Nagaland government has deferred the official observance of the International Day of Yoga in educational institutions to June 22 following objections from student organisations, tribal bodies, church groups and political parties over holding the event on a Sunday.
In a revised order issued on Sunday, the School Education Department directed the Directorate of School Education to reschedule Yoga Day events in all educational institutions from June 21 to June 22.
The decision came after criticism of an earlier directive that required government and private schools to organise Yoga Day programmes on June 21, ensure participation of students and staff, and submit reports along with GPS-tagged photographs.
The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) opposed the directive, stating that Sunday is a sacred day of worship for Nagaland’s predominantly Christian population. The organisation argued that holding such programmes on the day raised concerns over religious sentiments and constitutional rights.
The Central Nagaland Tribes Council also objected to the move, saying educational institutions should not be compelled to participate in programmes perceived to have religious or cultural associations that may conflict with the faith of the majority community.
The Nagaland Congress and several other organisations similarly called for the withdrawal of the circular, while church bodies expressed concern over the timing of the observance.
The Nagaland Baptist Pastors’ Union (NBPU) maintained that yoga is rooted in religious and philosophical traditions incompatible with Christian beliefs and urged churches and educational institutions not to participate in the observance.
Amid the growing opposition, the state government decided to postpone the official programme to June 22.
However, several Central government institutions, security forces and other organisations independently conducted Yoga Day events on Sunday as part of nationwide celebrations marking the International Day of Yoga.