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Time of India
9 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Zumba Dance Program Kerala: Zumba dance programme in Kerala schools faces opposition from Muslim groups, ET Education
Advt Advt Thiruvananthapuram, Zumba dance, a high-energy fitness programme introduced in schools in Kerala by the General Education Department as part of its anti-drug campaign, is facing opposition from certain Muslim groups who argue that it goes against moral programme was introduced in schools following a directive from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who stated that the dance- which combines dance and aerobic movements performed to lively music-would help reduce stress among schoolchildren and, in turn, counter the menace of drug abuse among young this academic year, many schools have begun offering Zumba training."Zumba dance is against moral values," claimed Abdussamad Pookkottur, state secretary of the Samastha Kerala Sunni Yuvajana Sangham (SYS), in a Facebook post on Friday, voicing his protest against the state government's initiative. He also urged parents to think more critically about the is the youth wing of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, a prominent Sunni Muslim scholarly body in Higher Education Minister R Bindhu defended the initiative, saying Zumba benefits both children and the general public by promoting mental and physical well-being."We are well into the 21st century-it is 2025. We are not living in the 19th century or the primitive medieval period. Everyone should think in accordance with the times," Bindhu told reporters when asked about the Muslim Students Federation (MSF), the student wing of the Indian Union Muslim League, criticised the government for introducing the programme without conducting proper studies."When such a programme is introduced in schools, thorough and credible studies must be carried out. Has the General Education Department conducted any study or held discussions with students, teachers, and parents before implementing this?" asked MSF state president P K Navas.T K Ashraf, General Secretary of the Wisdom Islamic Organisation, said that as a teacher, he had chosen to step back from implementing the directive mandating Zumba in schools as part of the anti-drug campaign."My son will also not participate in this programme. I am prepared to face whatever action the department may take on this matter," he said in a Facebook said he enrolled his child in a government school to receive quality education-"not to learn a culture where boys and girls, wearing minimal clothing, dance together to the rhythm of music.""There may be people who see this as progressive. I am not one of them-I admit I am old-fashioned in this regard," he added, claiming that many teachers, students, and parents also disagree with the programme but choose to remain silent for fear of possible consequences."I've noticed attempts to intimidate people by saying they will have to provide explanations to the department or face disciplinary action if they do not comply," he General Education Department, however, stated that the Zumba sessions are intended to support students' mental health and are part of the state government's anti-drug campaign "With Childhood and Youth", which carries the message "Padanamaanu Lahari" (Education is the real addiction).The department said the goal is to steer children away from drugs by offering positive, healthy studies, officials noted that children struggling with mental health issues are more likely to be targeted by drug networks. In this context, Zumba is being introduced as a fun and energetic way to improve students' mental and physical to the department, Zumba and similar physical activities help children build confidence, improve posture, stay motivated, and develop social and life skills through group government added that trained instructors will conduct the dance sessions in the support of teachers and parents, the programme aims not only to promote mental balance and physical fitness but also to help build a drug-free future for the next generation, the department said.>
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Business Standard
a day ago
- Health
- Business Standard
Zumba dance programme in Kerala schools faces opposition from Muslim groups
Zumba dance, a high-energy fitness programme introduced in schools in Kerala by the General Education Department as part of its anti-drug campaign, is facing opposition from certain Muslim groups who argue that it goes against moral values. The programme was introduced in schools following a directive from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who stated that the dance which combines dance and aerobic movements performed to lively musicwould help reduce stress among schoolchildren and, in turn, counter the menace of drug abuse among young people. From this academic year, many schools have begun offering Zumba training. Zumba dance is against moral values, claimed Abdussamad Pookkottur, state secretary of the Samastha Kerala Sunni Yuvajana Sangham (SYS), in a Facebook post on Friday, voicing his protest against the state government's initiative. He also urged parents to think more critically about the programme. SYS is the youth wing of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, a prominent Sunni Muslim scholarly body in Kerala. State Higher Education Minister R Bindhu defended the initiative, saying Zumba benefits both children and the general public by promoting mental and physical well-being. We are well into the 21st centuryit is 2025. We are not living in the 19th century or the primitive medieval period. Everyone should think in accordance with the times, Bindhu told reporters when asked about the controversy. The Muslim Students Federation (MSF), the student wing of the Indian Union Muslim League, criticised the government for introducing the programme without conducting proper studies. When such a programme is introduced in schools, thorough and credible studies must be carried out. Has the General Education Department conducted any study or held discussions with students, teachers, and parents before implementing this? asked MSF state president P K Navas. T K Ashraf, General Secretary of the Wisdom Islamic Organisation, said that as a teacher, he had chosen to step back from implementing the directive mandating Zumba in schools as part of the anti-drug campaign. My son will also not participate in this programme. I am prepared to face whatever action the department may take on this matter, he said in a Facebook post. Ashraf said he enrolled his child in a government school to receive quality educationnot to learn a culture where boys and girls, wearing minimal clothing, dance together to the rhythm of music. There may be people who see this as progressive. I am not one of themI admit I am old-fashioned in this regard, he added, claiming that many teachers, students, and parents also disagree with the programme but choose to remain silent for fear of possible consequences. I've noticed attempts to intimidate people by saying they will have to provide explanations to the department or face disciplinary action if they do not comply, he alleged. The General Education Department, however, stated that the Zumba sessions are intended to support students' mental health and are part of the state government's anti-drug campaign "With Childhood and Youth", which carries the message "Padanamaanu Lahari" (Education is the real addiction). The department said the goal is to steer children away from drugs by offering positive, healthy alternatives. Citing studies, officials noted that children struggling with mental health issues are more likely to be targeted by drug networks. In this context, Zumba is being introduced as a fun and energetic way to improve students' mental and physical well-being. According to the department, Zumba and similar physical activities help children build confidence, improve posture, stay motivated, and develop social and life skills through group participation. The government added that trained instructors will conduct the dance sessions in schools. With the support of teachers and parents, the programme aims not only to promote mental balance and physical fitness but also to help build a drug-free future for the next generation, the department said.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Zumba dance programme in Kerala schools faces opposition from Muslim groups
Thiruvananthapuram, Zumba dance, a high-energy fitness programme introduced in schools in Kerala by the General Education Department as part of its anti-drug campaign, is facing opposition from certain Muslim groups who argue that it goes against moral values. Zumba dance programme in Kerala schools faces opposition from Muslim groups The programme was introduced in schools following a directive from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who stated that the dance— which combines dance and aerobic movements performed to lively music—would help reduce stress among schoolchildren and, in turn, counter the menace of drug abuse among young people. From this academic year, many schools have begun offering Zumba training. 'Zumba dance is against moral values,' claimed Abdussamad Pookkottur, state secretary of the Samastha Kerala Sunni Yuvajana Sangham , in a Facebook post on Friday, voicing his protest against the state government's initiative. He also urged parents to think more critically about the programme. SYS is the youth wing of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, a prominent Sunni Muslim scholarly body in Kerala. State Higher Education Minister R Bindhu defended the initiative, saying Zumba benefits both children and the general public by promoting mental and physical well-being. 'We are well into the 21st century—it is 2025. We are not living in the 19th century or the primitive medieval period. Everyone should think in accordance with the times,' Bindhu told reporters when asked about the controversy. The Muslim Students Federation , the student wing of the Indian Union Muslim League, criticised the government for introducing the programme without conducting proper studies. 'When such a programme is introduced in schools, thorough and credible studies must be carried out. Has the General Education Department conducted any study or held discussions with students, teachers, and parents before implementing this?' asked MSF state president P K Navas. T K Ashraf, General Secretary of the Wisdom Islamic Organisation, said that as a teacher, he had chosen to step back from implementing the directive mandating Zumba in schools as part of the anti-drug campaign. 'My son will also not participate in this programme. I am prepared to face whatever action the department may take on this matter,' he said in a Facebook post. Ashraf said he enrolled his child in a government school to receive quality education—'not to learn a culture where boys and girls, wearing minimal clothing, dance together to the rhythm of music.' 'There may be people who see this as progressive. I am not one of them—I admit I am old-fashioned in this regard,' he added, claiming that many teachers, students, and parents also disagree with the programme but choose to remain silent for fear of possible consequences. 'I've noticed attempts to intimidate people by saying they will have to provide explanations to the department or face disciplinary action if they do not comply,' he alleged. The General Education Department, however, stated that the Zumba sessions are intended to support students' mental health and are part of the state government's anti-drug campaign "With Childhood and Youth", which carries the message "Padanamaanu Lahari" . The department said the goal is to steer children away from drugs by offering positive, healthy alternatives. Citing studies, officials noted that children struggling with mental health issues are more likely to be targeted by drug networks. In this context, Zumba is being introduced as a fun and energetic way to improve students' mental and physical well-being. According to the department, Zumba and similar physical activities help children build confidence, improve posture, stay motivated, and develop social and life skills through group participation. The government added that trained instructors will conduct the dance sessions in schools. With the support of teachers and parents, the programme aims not only to promote mental balance and physical fitness but also to help build a drug-free future for the next generation, the department said. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Malaysiakini
2 days ago
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Weapons of mass deception in war
COMMENT | Why do some non-Malays online support the bombing of Iran? They probably feel bullied by Malay-Muslim ketuanan or supremacy at home and, therefore, have little sympathy when Muslims overseas are attacked. It's also strange how Sunni Muslim Malaysia is openly supporting a country which practices Shia Islam, which is officially an 'ajaran sesat' or deviant teaching at home. When religion and politics get mixed up, strange things can happen.
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
Iran's attack on a US base in Qatar is a nightmare come true for Persian Gulf states
The operation was telegraphed by Iran, and no one was killed. Still, the attack that Iran launched in response to the US bombing of its nuclear sites Sunday was a nightmare for the Persian Gulf states, which include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman. Advertisement Despite years of efforts to build bridges with Iran, curry favor with President Trump, and establish their capitals as business-friendly havens in a volatile Middle East, they have found themselves sucked into a conflict that they have sought to avoid. 'It leaves the Gulf in a really uncomfortable spot,' said Dina Esfandiary, Middle East geoeconomics lead at Bloomberg Economics. 'Their absolute worst fear came true: They were caught in the middle of an escalation between Iran and the US.' Advertisement Gulf foreign ministers gathered in Doha on Tuesday for an emergency meeting to discuss the attack. The six countries all rely on the United States as their security guarantor, and host tens of thousands of US military personnel and several major US bases. There has not been a war on their lands since Saddam Hussein, the former leader of Iraq, invaded Kuwait in 1990, and their governments have cultivated reputations as safe destinations for international tourists and investors. But the monarchs that rule the Persian Gulf states have long feared and attempted to counter security threats from Iran, even as they cultivated ties with their neighbor. Qatar and Oman have particularly friendly relations with Iran. After the attack, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke to the emir of Qatar and expressed 'his regret,' Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar's prime minister, said in a news conference Tuesday. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have had more antagonistic relationships with Iran, and went as far as severing diplomatic ties in 2016. The Emirati government has an especially complex position, as it is wary of the security threat posed by Iran but is also one of its largest trading partners. Those tensions have sometimes led to confrontations, such as in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia and the UAE waged a disastrous bombing campaign against the Iran-backed Houthi militia in the 2010s. The Persian Gulf states are fearful that Iran could obtain a nuclear weapon, although they have called for the country to be dealt with through diplomacy rather than military action. There is also a sectarian dimension to the divide. Several of the Persian Gulf royal families, who are Sunni Muslim, are wary of Shiite-majority Iran exporting its revolutionary ideology to the Shiite citizens among their populations to foment unrest. Advertisement 'We have been living next to Iran for years and for centuries,' said Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, an Emirati political scientist. 'We know how difficult Iran is.' Last week, when Saudi, Bahrain, and UAE officials met with a bipartisan delegation of US congressional representatives, they mentioned that one of their biggest worries was that Iran-backed militias could target the US forces based in their countries, Representative Jimmy Panetta, a California Democrat, said. Such a scenario would draw attention to the heavy US military presence that Persian Gulf rulers host -- a sensitive issue for their citizens. But it would also mean that their region becomes 'essentially a pawn or the arena for these tensions to play out,' Esfandiary said. With the help of US defense systems, all but one of the missiles shot at Qatar were intercepted. Hours later, the emirate announced that it had helped Trump broker a cease-fire between Iran and Israel. 'We hope for this issue to be contained as soon as possible and for this chapter to be behind us,' Sheikh Mohammed said during the news conference. But the attack highlighted the vulnerability of the Persian Gulf countries, despite their wealth and security ties with the United States. Warning sirens sounded across Bahrain and the airspace over Dubai, United Arab Emirates, one of the world's biggest aviation hubs, was closed. 'For decades we've been calling out that this is a possibility that we've tried to avert,' said Bader Al-Saif, an assistant professor of history at Kuwait University. Advertisement The attack on the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar evoked memories of an Iran-backed drone assault that hit energy facilities in Saudi Arabia in 2019, briefly knocking out half of the kingdom's oil production. That attack, which took place during Trump's first term, is often cited by Saudi officials as the moment when they realized that US protection only went so far, pushing them to reach out diplomatically to Iran. The countries reestablished relations in 2023. The UAE and Bahrain have also been warming to Iran, and the attack in Qatar is unlikely to derail that rapprochement. At the same time, the attack has underscored the Persian Gulf countries' reliance on the United States -- a dependency with which their rulers are not entirely comfortable.
