A Muslim teacher at a government school in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh has been suspended over allegations that he taught Hindu students a yoga pose which resembled the Muslim prayer ritual (‘Namaz’).
The incident occurred at a government middle school. The action was taken after parents of the students, backed by local Hindu religious groups, lodged a formal complaint and held protests. They alleged that the teacher intentionally instructed the children to perform yoga ‘asanas’ (poses) that were identical to the postures used in Namaz.
Reacting to the pressure and the “sensitivity” of the matter, the school administration immediately suspended the yoga teacher and has initiated a formal inquiry into the incident.
The suspended teacher, however, has vehemently denied the accusations, calling them “baseless.” In a statement released on social media, he presented his side of the story. He clarified that he was simply conducting yoga classes as per the government’s official curriculum.
He explained that the pose in question was “Shashankasana” (the Child’s Pose), a standard and well-known yoga exercise. While he acknowledged that this pose visually resembles the “Sajda” (prostration) in Muslim prayer, he insisted it was taught purely as a physical exercise, not a religious ritual. “I was teaching yoga, not any religious practice,” the teacher stated. “It is an injustice to suspend me without even hearing my side.”
