Amid the increasing protest against the decision of the Kerala government to introduce fitness dance form Zumba, the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-government of the state has said that it will not happen.
The government announced to introduce Zumba in schools earlier this year. The decision has staged a protest against religious organizations such as Samsath, which has a high stake in religious education in Kerala and outside the state. Organizations claim that this step will adversely affect morality.
On Saturday, there was a protest against it after more organizations surfaced.
CPI (M) General Secretary MA Baby told the media in Kozhikode that organizations had the right to comment on issues including education sector, “religion should be kept away from education”.
He said, “Children should get mixed up with each other. Those who protest should reconsider their stance. In a secular country, religion should be kept away from public education. They can comment on issues, but they should not determine the conditions on education,” they said.
Meanwhile, the government also doubled, by calling the protest “more dangerous than drug threats” and it was “more dangerous than drug menus”.
Education Minister and CPI (M) leader V Shivkutty said, “Some quarters have emerged against Zumba, which is being presented as part of the anti -drug initiative in schools.” “What is being held in schools is a small physical fitness program. Students are performing Zumba in their uniform.”
The story continues below this advertisement
He further said: “According to the Right to Education (ACT), this is mandatory for all students to participate in the activities suggested by the government. Parents have no option in this. According to the rules, teachers have the responsibility of making orders of orders towards the education department. Nobody has asked the students to wear clothes and participate in Zumba.”
The minister also shared videos of students of two schools in Muslim-dominated areas, who perform Zumba in a uniform wearing a headcharf. Higher Education Minister Dr. R Bindu also shared a video of college students – including Catholic nuns – dance for music at a college in Irinjalakuda, Thrissur.
The protest against Zumba will take Kerala into the dark age, he said.
This came one day when Hussain Madavur, the state president of Kerala Nadavathul Mujahideen, once again came to know his objections.
The story continues below this advertisement
“Girls and boys dance to disclosing clothes, they would adversely affect their mental state. Even if they are performing Zumba in school uniforms, we may not agree that the girls and boys dance together,” he said.
Similarly, General Secretary of the Wisdom Islamic Organization, TK Ashraf said that the school “mixed dance demonstration” is not being sent to the children.
He said, “There may be people who dancing Zumba as a progressive (but), it is highly disappointing to portray those who oppose Zumba as extremists and retrograde,” he said.
This is not the first time that some governments of CPI (M) took place against the gender-plate policies of the government. The government, which launched the penis neutral uniform in schools and the plan to remove the girls and boys in schools with separate benches was also found from a brick wall.
The story continues below this advertisement
Meanwhile, CPI (M) General Secretary M. A child was accused of promoting atheism in school textbooks when he was the Minister of Education from 2006 to 2011 and was forced to withdraw a textbook.
Zumba Ro CPI (M) is another litmus test for rule, which is leaving no chance to attack “Islamic extremism” after a devastating performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
(Tagstotranslet) Kerala (T) Zumba Dance (T) Government of Kerala (T) Zumba in School
