Red Road closure, govt staff ‘mandatory’ attendance for PM Modi's Yoga Day event trigger row in Bengal

THe due west Bengal government's prescribe to come together red river route until June 21 for the International Yoga Day celebrations, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in Kolkata, has triggered a fresh row in the state.In another development, the State Coordination Committee of the West Bengal Government Employees challenged the West Bengal chief secretary's order asking all state government officers and employees to participate in the International Yoga Day programme on June 21. Meanwhile, the AILU challenged the prolonged closure of the iconic Red Road since June 14, contending that it was causing inconvenience to lawyers belonging to the petitioner organisation who travel to and from the high court.While the court directed the police to ensure that suitable alternative routes remain available for members of the petitioner organisation as well as the general public to reach their workplaces and destinations while Red Road remains closed, it told the government employees' representative that the directive nowhere states that participation is mandatory.It is a healthy move, says courtJustice Amrita Sinha questioned the submission, remarking that Yoga Day event is 'a healthy move'. When the petitioners' counsel, Senior Advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya argued that it was the decision of employees, the Court said, “No, you cannot remain unhealthy. Because you are serving the government, the government will never want its employees to be unhealthy,” according to a Bar and Bench report.Also Read | International Yoga Day 2026: A wellness expert shares how yoga practice can help manage corporate burnout and anxietyAdditional Advocate General Billwadal Bhattacharya, representing Bengal govt, submitted that employees had only been requested to attend the event, as the state seeks to break Andhra Pradesh's record of three crore participants. He added that if any action is taken against an employee for not attending the programme, he or she would be free to approach the court again.TMC slams road closure for Yoga DayThe closure of the road also drew criticism from the opposition, with Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra slamming the move. She said that while Red Road could not be closed for even one hour for Eid celebrations, it has now been shut for a week for Yoga Day. "Eid prayers could not be held for 1 hour for 1 day on Red Road but same Red Road closed to traffic for a week for Yoga Divas. Abu Taher Khan, Khalilur Rahman, Yusuf Pathan - have guts to ask your paymasters this question," Mahua wrote on X.Modi to lead Yoga Day celebrationsPM Modi will lead the national celebrations of International Day of Yoga 2026 at Kolkata's historic Red Road on June 21. The theme for this year's event is "Yoga for Healthy Ageing", focusing on the challenges and opportunities of an ageing population.Ahead of the main event, Kolkata will host a series of programmes. On June 19, the "Doud se Dhyan" initiative will highlight the connection between physical fitness and mental well-being, said a PIB release. On June 20, events such as "Vande Yogam" and West Bengal Day celebrations will showcase a blend of yoga, patriotism and the state's cultural heritage. The programmes will culminate with the Prime Minister's participation in the mass yoga session on June 21, the release further said.(With PTI inputs)