Our Correspondent / NEW DELHI
In a major setbcak to the votaries of Yoga, the Supreme Court today dismissed a plea seeking framing of a national policy on Yoga and making the practice compulsory for students of classes 1-8 across India.
A bench headed by Justice M B Lokur rejected the plea and said it is for the government to take a decision on such issue. The bench said, court cannot say what is to be taught in schools. The apex court also said it was not possible for it to grant the relief as sought by petitioners – Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, a lawyer and Delhi BJP spokesperson and J C Seth.
The petitioners had sought a direction to the Ministry of Human Resources Development, NCERT, NCTE and CBSE to provide standard textbooks of ‘yoga and health education’ for students of Class 1-8 keeping in spirit various fundamental rights such as right to life, education and equality.
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The court said it was not possible for it to grant the relief as sought by petitioners — Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, a lawyer and Delhi BJP spokesperson and J.C. Seth.
“What is to be taught in schools is not a fundamental right,” it said.
Mr. Upadhyay had sought a direction to the Ministry of Human Resource Development, NCERT, NCTE and the CBSE to “provide standard textbooks of ‘yoga and health education’ for students of Class 1 to 8 keeping in spirit various fundamental rights such as right to life, education and equality.”
The court, on November 29, 2016, asked the Centre to treat the petition as a representation and take a decision.
The plea said, “State has an obligation to provide health facilities to all the citizens, especially to children and adolescents. In a welfare state, it is obligation of the State to ensure the creation and sustenance of conditions congenial to good health.”