Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty stood steadfastly by the state's move to include Zumba in schools on Sunday, rejecting the criticism of some Muslim religious groups and advising against imparting a communal hue to education activities. "Zumba is a sport that is nationally accepted, with lakhs of people taking part all over the country," Sivankutty informed the press.
"Said parties should retract their statements and make a public apology," Sivankutty said.
The Minister was reacting to queries by the media amidst increasing protests by some religious groups that are opposed to the introduction of Zumba into the school curriculum.
Also read: Muslim outfits oppose Zumba classes in Kerala schools
The programme, launched as part of an anti-drug campaign, has attracted both praise and criticism from every political quarter.
Sivankutty made it clear that the Left government was sticking to its stand on the issue by attending a Zumba performance organised in front of the state secretariat on Sunday. His visit was a clear indication that the government was not going back on its decision.
"All decisions about school academic and non-academic activities are made by the elected government. No one else is authorised to make such orders," he declared.
He, however, added that if there are issues, the government was willing to engage in dialogue.
"The government is open to discussion if there are any apprehensions about the decisions it has made. But attributing a communal colour to something which is well understood by all and making such assertions is contrary to the country's secularism--that cannot be accepted," he added.
Sivankutty also spoke about bigger issues like the recent furore over co-ed play and gender-neutral uniforms, calling them exaggerated.
"PTA decides school uniforms— not outside agencies," he pointed out, while noting that sports authorities and the government determine sportspersons' dress code, not individuals.
On scheduling exams, the minister warned against unrealistic demands. "Exams cannot be rescheduled on whimsical preferences. Only valid reasons will be taken into consideration for rescheduling," Sivankutty stated.
Sivankutty emphasised that such physical exercises as Zumba are crucial for the mental and physical growth of students, particularly in the context of Kerala's broader initiative against school-goers' drug abuse.
The Zumba programme was initiated in schools on a directive from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who had said that the dance, consisting of aerobic movements done to upbeat music would alleviate stress levels among school students and thereby neutralise the threat of drug abuse among youngsters. Many schools have started to provide Zumba training from this academic year. But some Muslim groups opposed the government's move.
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