Latest news with #Zumba
The Hindu
25 minutes ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
KSU supports Zumba dance in schools
The Kerala Students Union (KSU) on Saturday offered full support to the government's well-meaning work to curb the spread of addictive substances. Amid opposition from some Muslims groups to introducing Zumba dance in schools as part of a broader anti-drug campaign, Aloshious Xavier, State president of the KSU, said there's no need for controversy over the State government's well-intentioned initiatives against addiction. 'Zumba dance is popular in the State and there's nothing unethical about it. The KSU belives that the controversy is unwarranted,' he said. However, he added that Zumba dance or seizures of contraband drugs from a few cine stars would not suffice to resolve the serious social crisis posed by drug abuse in the student community. 'It requires a deeper intervention,' he added.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Zumba dispute shows no signs of cooling down
The controversy surrounding the introduction of Zumba dance on government and aided school campuses in the State as an anti-drug measure appears to linger on with different Muslim organisations steadfastly opposing the initiative. Muslim groups have been opposing the move by raising concerns about Zumba dance's moral and cultural implications for school campuses. However, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), unlike other Muslim groups, has chosen a measured approach to the Zumba the controversy. The party is of the view that it must study the issue before commenting about it. The Muslim League's cautious approach is reflected in its State general secretary P.M.A. Salam's comments, where he pointed out the need for the State government to address the concerns of all sections about the introduction of Zumba dance in schools. While the IUML has not outrightly opposed Zumba, it has sought discussions and considerations of diverse perspectives before moving forward with the programme. The IUML is of the view that any programme should be implemented in a way acceptable to all sections. While Muslim groups like the Samastha Kerala Sunni Yuvajana Sangham (SYS), Samastha Kerala Islam Matha Vidysbhyasa Board, and Wisdom Islamic Organisation are opposing Zumba due to moral and cultural concerns, others are questioning the programme's effectiveness. Moderate groups and individuals in the Muslim community are scrutinising the scientific basis of Zumba as a tool to combat drug abuse among students. C. Mohammed Ajmal, an IIT Madras alumnus and education counsellor, contests the basic idea of the programme. 'Youngsters are turning to drugs in pursuit of pleasure, rather than as a stress-relief mechanism,' he said. In his view, setting and achieving long-term goals can help students discover more significant and rewarding experiences. Wisdom Youth Movement vice president P.P. Naseef urged the government to listen to the concerns of the people who object to Zumba dance before imposing the programme. 'Taking everyone into confidence is always better,' said Dr. Naseef. Meanwhile, the government has decided to proceed with Zumba despite the opposition from Muslim groups. According to Education Minister V. Sivankutty, student can participate in Zumba in their regular uniforms. CPI(M) national secretary M.A. Baby has called upon the people not to mix religion in academics. He said religion should be kept away from public education in a secular country like India. Unless the government finds common ground with protesters, campuses may witness a Zumba showdown when classes resume on Monday.
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
DYFI supports Zumba classes in Kerala schools
The Kerala unit of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) has offered its support to the State Education department's ongoing initiative offering Zumba classes to school students. DYFI State secretary V.K. Sanoj told the media here on Saturday (June 28, 2025) that the Opposition from certain sections to the programme could be seen against the backdrop of the alleged attempts to create communal discord in society and destroy the secular fabric of Kerala. He claimed that Zumba was not a creation of the Left. It is being practised across the globe as a fitness programme. Mr. Sanoj pointed out that it was introduced in schools to ward off the threat of substance abuse among children. There was no use of skimpy clothes during the sessions, he said, adding that some people were trying to deliberately link it with religion. Mr. Sanoj also blamed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its Hindutva politics for stoking a controversy related to the Suresh Gopi-starrer Janaki vs State of Kerala. The DYFI leader criticised the Muslim Students Federation (MSF), the students' wing of the Indian Union Muslim League, for opposing the Zumba sessions. He asked its leaders to name the school where students performed Zumba wearing skimpy clothes. Wondering if the MSF's ideals were suited for the 'AI age', he accused it of spreading misinformation.
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Opposition to Zumba dance unacceptable, says Kerala Speaker
The opposition to Zumba dance will not be accepted by children or the general public, Speaker A.N. Shamseer has said. Inaugurating the MLA Merit Award-2025 in Alappuzha on Saturday, Mr. Shamseer called those opposing Zumba ignorant. 'Islam is a highly progressive religion. It is a few orthodox scholars, cloaked in the attire of Islam, who are voicing opposition. We should not give in to their demands. I will stand firmly behind Education Minister V. Sivankutty on the matter,' the Speaker said. He said that Zumba was being practised by people of all genders. 'Those who criticise Zumba by claiming that participants wear revealing clothes are truly narrow-minded. The government should not succumb to the pressure of such individuals,' Mr. Shamseer said.
Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Protests rage against Zumba, Kerala govt doubles down: ‘Keep religion away from education'
Amid growing protests against the Kerala government's decision to introduce the fitness dance form Zumba in schools, the state's Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led government has said it would not budge. The government had announced introducing Zumba in schools earlier this year. The decision has triggered protests from religious outfits such as SAMSATHA, which has a high stake in religious education in Kerala and outside the state. The outfits claim that the move would adversely affect morality. On Saturday, the protests swelled after more organisations came out against it. CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby told media in Kozhikode that organisations had the right to make comments on issues including in the education sector, 'religion should be kept away from education'. 'Children should grow mingling with one another. Those who oppose should rethink their stand. In a secular country, religion should be kept away from public education. They can comment on issues, but they should not dictate terms on education,' he said. Meanwhile, the government too doubled down, calling the protest 'more dangerous than the drug menace' and that it was 'more dangerous than the drug menace'. 'Certain quarters have come out against Zumba, which is being introduced in schools as part of anti-drug initiatives,' Education minister and CPI(M) leader V Sivankutty said. 'What is being held in schools is a short physical fitness programme. Students are performing Zumba in their uniforms.' He further said: 'According to the Right to Education (Act), it is mandatory for all students to take part in learning activities suggested by the government. Parents have no choice in it. According to the rules, the teachers have the responsibility to undertake activities per orders of the education department. Nobody has asked the students to wear revealing dresses and participate in Zumba'. The minister also shared videos of students of two schools in Muslim-majority areas performing Zumba in uniform wearing headscarves. Higher education minister Dr R Bindu also shared a video of college students — including Catholic nuns — dancing to music at a college in Irinjalakuda in Thrissur. The protest against Zumba will take Kerala to the dark ages, he said. This came on a day when Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen state president Hussain Madavoor once again made his objections known. 'Girls and boys dancing in revealing dresses will adversely affect their mental status. Even if they are performing Zumba in school uniform, we cannot agree that girls and boys dance together,' he said. Likewise, Wisdom Islamic Organisation general secretary T K Ashraf said children are not being sent to school 'perform mixed dance'. 'There may be people who see Zumba dancing as progressive (but) it is highly deplorable to depict those who oppose Zumba as extremists and retrogressive,' he said. This isn't the first time that there were protests against some of the CPI (M)-led government's gender-neutral policies. The government's attempt introducing gender neutral uniforms in schools and plans to do away with separate benches for girls and boys in schools also met a brick wall. Meanwhile, CPI(M) general secretary M. A Baby was accused of promoting atheism in school textbooks when he was the education minister from 2006 to 2011 and was forced to withdraw one textbook. The Zumba row is another litmus test for the CPI(M) regime, which, after its disastrous showing in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, has been leaving no chance to attack 'Islamic extremism'.
