Earlier, during Teacher’s Day on September 5 last year, the state had cancelled the holiday of students and asked them to be present in school to hear the PM’s address. Earlier, during Teacher’s Day on September 5 last year, the state had cancelled the holiday of students and asked them to be present in school to hear the PM’s address.

In perhaps an indication of the strained SAD-BJP relations, especially after Prime Minister Narendra Modi backed out of his assurance to visit Sri Anandpur Sahib, the Punjab education department has decided the state’s schools will not observe International Yoga Day on June 21.

The decision is in contrast to the state’s earlier stance on the Prime Minister’s initiatives, when various departments here had bent over backwards to implement them.

“Punjab does not believe in forcing any specific method of physical activity on anyone. We have summer holidays in our schools. We will not call children on that day. Moreover, we do not want to force the children to engage in an activity they would not like to do. It is up to them on what activity they want to take up. It is their choice,” Punjab Education Minister Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema told The Indian Express.

He, however, added the state wanted to promote sports and physical fitness among children. “We have reintroduced sports period in schools as we want them to play and keep fit. It was done away with earlier. I have ensured there is a special period for sports, where they can play whatever they feel like.”

Earlier, during Teacher’s Day on September 5 last year, the state had cancelled the holiday of students and asked them to be present in school to hear the PM’s address. Even during Gandhi Jayanti on October 2, when the NDA government had kicked off its Swacchh Bharat Abhiyan, the holiday was cancelled and employees were asked to report to offices.

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