Speed Post News Network
Nawada: All senior Nawada district administrative officials chose to ‘abstain’ from International Yoga Day programmes organized at three venues: Gandhi High School’s spacious grounds, Town Hall and Mirzapur locality in the town on Tuesday morning.
Nawada DM Manoj Kumar cited grounds of “belated invitation”, SP Vikas Dev Burman was “very busy” while the Nawada civil SDO Rajesh Kumar and SDPO Sanjay Pandey said they were engrossed in the Tuesday’s ongoing pramukh elections . Similar was the case with the Rajauli civil SDO as well as the SDPO, who despite been invited three days in advance, chose to abstain. When asked whether he had received directions from the state government to abstain, the DM replied in the negative.
On the other hand, men, women, children including some differently able from all walks of life gathered at Gandhi High School grounds at 6.30 am on Tuesday in hundreds. Attired in sarees, salwar suits, dhotis, trousers, track-suits, the gathering beamed the picture of “unity in diversity”. The people enthusiastically practiced various yogic asanas to the best of their ability under the guidance of instructor Jitendra Pandey.
A retired engineer and district convener of Bharat Swabhiman Nyas as well as Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust Shivnarayan Prasad said that the district administration was afraid to participate fearing the state government would brand them as a part of the “bhagwa (saffron) brigade” due to its promotion by the PM Modi and Baba Ramdev. He disclosed that while Rajauli Sub-divisional officer (SDO) Shambhu Sharan Pandey performed yoga under his supervision at his official residence at Rajauli, he was afraid to be noticed in public particularly on this day. Manohar Krishna, a member of Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust, informed that when he telephonically invited the DM on Monday, his staff asked him to talk to the DM at night. But, the DM refused to participate saying “aise karyakarm mein ruche nahi rakhte hain” (have no interest in such programmes).