A government school teacher in Burhanpur district, Madhya Pradesh, has been suspended following allegations that he made students perform yoga poses “resembling namaz.” The teacher, identified as Jaboor Ahmed Tadvi, was serving at a government middle school in Deohari village when the complaint surfaced. Some parents claimed that Hindu students were being asked to perform “namaz-like postures” under the guise of Surya Namaskar and yoga exercises. The controversy quickly gained attention, prompting the District Education Officer (DEO) to launch an inquiry into the matter.

District Education Officer Santosh Singh Solanki confirmed that Tadvi was suspended on October 25 pending investigation. In his defense, Tadvi stated that the students were merely practising Shashankasana, a legitimate and widely recognised yoga posture that may have been misinterpreted as a prayer position. He insisted that he was only following the state’s yoga guidelines and had no intention of promoting any religious act. However, the incident triggered a protest from members of the Hindu Jagran Manch, who visited the school and demanded strict action against the teacher.

The district administration has since launched a formal investigation to verify the claims and assess whether the yoga session violated any educational or religious conduct norms. Officials have urged the public to avoid jumping to conclusions until the inquiry report is finalized. The case underscores the growing communal sensitivity surrounding yoga and religious practices in public institutions, where even minor misinterpretations can escalate into full-blown controversies. Authorities are expected to submit their findings in the coming days.