UGC wants all universities, colleges to chant Om Shanti on Yoga Day

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked all universities and their affiliated colleges to celebrate ‘International Yoga Day’ on June 21 by following a ‘Common Yoga Protocol’.
The protocol, as per the official letter written by UGC to all universities, is a 45-minute schedule of exercises and prayers which starts with a posture where one has to chant OM Shantih Shantih along with a few verses from Rigveda, (a collection Vedic hymns) which literally translate to ‘May you move in harmony, speak in one voice; let your minds be in agreement; just as the ancient gods shared their portion of sacrifice.’
Since February this year, UGC secretary, Jaspal S Sandhu has written thrice to vice chancellors of all universities asking them to ensure “wide participation of students and teachers” in the event and celebrate it in a “befitting manner”.
“Keeping in view the importance of Yoga, may I request your personal indulgence in celebrating the Yoga Day in your esteemed University as well as in affiliated colleges on 21st June in a befitting manner,” reads the latest UGC letter addressed to all vice chancellors.
The letters, copies of which are with Kashmir InFocus, are dated February 29, March 17, and May 9. In the most recent one, the UGC secretary, apart from asking Universities to frame an “Action Plan” for ‘International Yoga Day’, has also attached a copy of the ‘Common Yoga Protocol’ provided by the Ministry of AYUSH.
Last year, Kashmir University had witnessed massive protests for days together after a student from English department, who reports claimed led an anti-yoga protest, was detained by police on June 22. The campus had witnessed nocturnal protests two days earlier against the preparations being made to celebrate Yoga day in the varsity then.
Officials from Kashmir University and Islamic University of Science and Technology denied having any information regarding the UGC letters sent this year so far.
Vice Chancellor KU, Prof Khurshid Iqbal Andrabi was not available for the comments however varsity’s proctor Naseer Iqbal said “he (proctor) was travelling for a science conference and was not aware if they had received any such letter.”
Similarly, Vice Chancellor IUST, Prof Abdul Rashid Trag said, “We have been busy with exams and have not seen the letters.”
No official was ready to comment on the matter from Central University of Kashmir.
As this reporter tried to contact the UGC Secretary on phone to get further details, his personal assistant (PA) said that he was “busy in a meeting” and to “call back later.”
When tried contacting again, the PA referred this reporter to Joint Secretary UGC, Mamta Rani Agarwal who too was “busy in a meeting”, as her PA said.