L-G V K Saxena“When Yoga classes did not take place for two days, I got dozens of calls from my students. They said they would not let me stop. Many started making financial arrangements for me to continue,” said Monika Verma (43), who teaches yoga to three batches under the Delhi government’s Dilli ki yogshala programme.
The programme has become the latest flashpoint between the Arvind Kejriwal government and L-G V K Saxena. While Kejriwal has alleged the file to continue the programme and pay yoga instructors has been stuck with the L-G, sources in the L-G office said the file was not sent to them in time.
In the midst of the tussle, thousands of teachers and hundreds of instructors were left in the lurch — for a couple of days.
At Kidwai Nagar in South Delhi, Verma reached at her usual time at 5.45 am on Thursday for the first of her three classes. Her 25 students were waiting for her eagerly. “When we heard that classes will stop, we were very disappointed. For the past year, we have been gathering in the park every morning to do yoga. It is part of our life now, and all of us have seen an improvement in our health and energy levels. To stop would set us back,” said Snigdha Sinha (37), a resident of the area and a part of the class.
The classes are provided for free to each group that registers. A group should have at least 25 individuals who want to be part of the programme. As per government data, 590 classes are held across the city for around 17,000 people. The instructors are paid Rs 15,000 per month.
“I started teaching in this programme last December, months after getting a diploma in yoga. I have a very dedicated batch of students. Since the start, they have been enthusiastic…,” said Verma.
Tweeting photos of classes, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said: “Yoga classes have started once again under Delhi’s Yogashala in every corner of Delhi. The public engages with the classes with the same enthusiasm and energy. This is the public’s answer to the conspirators — People’s revolution does not stop by intimidating the officials. @ArvindKejriwal ji does what he says.”
A government official said Thursday they were yet to hear from the L-G office on continuing the programme but said they were also waiting to finalise other plans for finances in case approval does not come through.