To oppose mandatory Suryanamaskar in BMC schools, the Samajwadi Party is exploring multiple options including passing a fatwa against the move
State Samajwadi Party chief and MLA Abu Azmi is vehemently opposed to Suryanamaskar. So much so that at a rally on Friday, in response to the new notice of motion that makes Suryanamaskar mandatory in BMC schools, he declared, "If the BMC is making it mandatory in its schools, then all Muslims will withdraw their kids. We prefer our children being jahil (illiterate) over doing Suryanamaskar."
Abu Azmi at the rally raising slogans against the BMC proposal
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Earlier this week, BJP corporator Samita Kamble, proposed the motion in the BMC house. While the opposition, including the Samajwadi Party, was opposed to it, the proposal was passed with the BJP and Shiv Sena’s support.
Women hold placards opposing the move. Pics/Suresh Karkera
The Samajwadi Party’s opposition is based on religious grounds and to that end, it is planning its next move. While on the one hand it is talking to various religious leaders in the community seeking a fatwa that if BMC schools make Suryanamaskar mandatory, then Muslim parents should remove their children, on the other, SP group leader in the BMC, Rais Shaikh has written a letter to the mayor requesting her to ensure that such religious proposals aren’t allowed on the agenda list.
On Friday, the party held a rally to register its protest with attendees holding placards that roughly translated, read, "Municipal schools can’t be run on whims" and "Won’t tolerate saffronisation of schools". One of the participants at the rally, Tamanna Khan, claimed that she would pull out her grand daughter from the BMC school number 12 in Shivaji Nagar. "I cannot let go of my religion for her studies. I will withdraw her from the school if they make Suryanamaskar mandatory," she said.
Talking to mid-day, Azmi said, "There are many students from other faiths in these schools. In our faith (Islam), Suryanamaskar is not allowed. Earlier when Vande Mataram was being made mandatory, the ulemas issued a fatwa asking Muslims to withdraw their kids. The same will be done here too."
On the question of what would happen to the children, he said, "Let them be jahil (illiterate). Or they will study in madrasas, but not in schools where Suryanamaskar is being forced upon them. A person has to give an account of his life, and this won’t be accepted just because he was asked to do it in school," said Azmi.
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