Patna, June 24: RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Tuesday criticised Union HRD minister Smriti Irani's decision to introduce yoga education in all central government schools for Classes VI to X.

He said: "Schools are the place for study, but she (Irani) is converting schools into yogashrams."

The Narendra Modi government plans to introduce yoga as part of the curriculum in all central schools for Classes VI to X, Smriti had said on Monday. She made the announcement at a conference of yoga teachers.

The RJD chief further said: "Through Surya Namaskar, the BJP is trying to gain political mileage by inciting people in the name of yoga."

The RJD leader was interacting with media after taking part in a meeting of party functionaries from Kosi division.

Lalu has been critical of the "politics of yoga."

Criticising the International Yoga Day celebrations, Lalu had accused the BJP of indulging in politicising yoga and not of making the body healthy. "The entire country knows this yoga (is) being propagated by hypocrites of the BJP. The Modi government is conducting its own PR (public relations) by advertising something as personal as yoga," Lalu had said on a social networking site. He had even criticised Modi's posture, saying it was "incomplete" and that it was only for a "photo-op."

Lalu, known to be a good communicator, had also tried to send a message to people that people who did no work needed yoga. He had maintained that a farmer or a milkman who does hard work throughout the day does not need to do any such thing to keep fit.

Interestingly, Lalu's newfound ally JDU, too, has been in attacking mood on the yoga issue and has been criticising the BJP of using it to promote its political agenda.

Even the Congress, which is part of the grand alliance in Bihar, has decided to move the election commission against the BJP's participation in International Yoga Day celebrations when the model code of conduct was in place in the state.

After venting his ire against yoga, Lalu went on to mock the NDA on the issue of its chief ministerial candidate saying a new face was emerging every day.

He dared the BJP to declare the chief ministerial candidate before the state goes to the polls later this year.

Asked about former home secretary and BJP MP R.K. Singh, who hit out at former Indian Premier League chief Lalit Modi saying "no one should help an absconder like Modi," Lalu asked the MP to reveal more in the case.