Source: in.christiantoday.com
MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA, September 1, 2009: Responding to a petition filed by the Catholic Church, the Madhya Pradesh High Court issued an interim order Friday directing the BJP-run state government to no longer require students to perform surya namaskar (worship of the sun) and pranayama (yogic breathing exercise) as extra-curricular activities.
Two years ago, the BJP made surya namaskar compulsory for students in all schools and colleges, a move which brought strong protests from Christians and Muslims. Advocate Rajesh Chand, representing the Catholic Church in the present case, argued that the state government directive was in violation of the Section 25 to 30 of the Fundamental Rights of the Constitution under which the minority institutions are governed, and that it also violated the interim order of the High Court passed in the same matter in 2007.