Suhail Ansari has once again grabbed media attention and not for commendable reasons. Identifying himself as an "international yoga teacher" on his social media platforms, Ansari's conduct has been anything but professional or respectful towards the discipline he claims to represent. His Instagram profile, followed by over 144,000 individuals, has become a hub for content that many find distasteful and offensive.

Ansari's controversial approach involves inappropriately close interactions with his students during yoga sessions. These actions are not random but appear to be a repeated offense, especially directed towards female students, who are predominantly Hindus. He justifies these acts under the guise of teaching yoga, but his true intentions seem far from educational. The content he uploads frequently sexualizes these women, utilizing objectionable thumbnails that focus explicitly on their hips, breasts, and positions that suggest a sexual nature rather than a yogic one.

This behavior has severely tainted the image of yoga, an ancient Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, turning it into a spectacle for cheap thrills and social media engagement. Earlier in March, Ansari's inappropriate videos circulated widely across various platforms, sparking outrage and catching the eye of several observers for all the wrong reasons.

The backlash was swift and significant, particularly from Hindu community leaders. Pandit Dheerendra Shastri of Bageshwar Dham was among the most vocal, expressing his condemnation of Ansari's actions. He accused Ansari of not only degrading a sacred practice but also alleged that Ansari had a role in influencing the religious and marital decisions of his students, claiming that four Hindu women were coerced into marrying Muslim men because of him.

Pandit Dhirendra Shastri expressed deep concerns over Suhail Ansari's actions, specifically highlighting a disturbing pattern. "There is a yoga teacher named Suhail who traps young girls and gets their Nikah done with Muslim men. 4 Hindu daughters have already fallen prey to it," remarked Shastri, visibly agitated by these occurrences. His frustration was palpable as he declared, "When such things happen in India, my blood boils," in a statement that quickly went viral, resonating with many who heard it.

The backlash on social media was swift and widespread, prompting Suhail Ansari to respond with what many hoped would be a sincere acknowledgment of his missteps. He posted an 'apology video' on his platforms, promising a significant shift in his behavior and a commitment to respect the yogic practices more faithfully.

Ansari defended his credentials vigorously, asserting his qualifications and accomplishments to underline his capability as a yoga instructor. He highlighted his participation as an athlete representing India at the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and his success in securing multiple international yoga accolades. "I am an advanced Yoga teacher. I represented India in Common Wealth Games in 2010. In recent years I have won several gold medals on an international level. I have been teaching Yoga for the last 15 years. I have a diploma as well as a master's degree from Uttarakhand Sanskrit University Rishikesh," Ansari emphasized, hoping to restore his tarnished image.

In a detailed Instagram post dated March 29, Ansari attempted to convey his regret, stating, "I am hurt after receiving some messages and threatening calls which indicated that some of my videos on social media have hurt their sentiments. My intentions are not to hurt anyone's sentiments or feelings. I apologise from the bottom of my heart if I have hurt people's sentiments. If any of my videos have hurt your sentiments, message me on Instagram and I will delete those videos…" Through this message, he sought to reassure his audience and critics alike that he was taking their concerns seriously and was ready to make amends.

Despite previously issuing an apology for his actions, it appears that Suhail Ansari has reverted to his old ways, continuing to exploit the discipline of yoga for personal gain and controversy. The controversies surrounding Ansari have sparked a debate on the authenticity of his apology and whether his promises of "course correction" will manifest into tangible changes in how he conducts his classes and manages his social media content.

The scrutiny of Suhail Ansari’s activities on social media has intensified following recent investigations by the Satyaagrah team, which monitored his Instagram profile extensively. Despite previous commitments to reform his approach, Satyaagrah has verified that Ansari has reverted to his previous controversial practices. It appears that the allure of sensationalism has overridden his earlier promises to maintain decorum in his yoga teachings.

While Ansari had briefly modified his content strategy, claiming to adhere to more respectful and traditional forms of yoga instruction, this change was short-lived. Recent findings indicate that he has resumed the publication of inappropriate content, mislabeling it as ‘Advanced yoga training.’ This month alone, Satyaagrah has identified many posts that continue to push the boundaries of decency under the guise of yoga.

Ansari’s current uploads are not only troubling due to their content but also because of the manipulative presentation style he employs. Many videos are peppered with captions and emojis that carry clear sexual undertones. One particularly blatant example includes a video thumbnail captioned “Have a look at this place,” focusing on the bare navel of a female student, which is a clear attempt to sexualize the content. Another post asks “Did you forget me?”, further emphasizing the hypersexualized nature of his recent uploads.

Moreover, the use of religious symbols like the ‘Om’ symbol alongside such provocative content adds another layer of disrespect and insensitivity to his actions, intertwining sacred elements of Hindu culture with objectionable material.

As of now, there is no public information available about any legal steps being taken against Suhail Ansari for his continued misuse of social media for inappropriate purposes. This lack of accountability highlights significant gaps in the regulation of online content, particularly when it intersects with cultural and ethical boundaries. The ongoing situation raises important questions about the effectiveness of social media platforms in managing and curbing such misuse, and whether more stringent measures need to be implemented to protect the sanctity of cultural practices like yoga from being exploited.

Ansari's Apology Sparks Mixed Reactions

Suhail Ansari's attempt to address the concerns raised about his behavior through an apology has resulted in varied responses from the online community. While some individuals, presumably his students, have shown their support for him, a significant number of others have expressed continued distrust and disappointment. The severity of the situation is evident as some detractors have gone as far as issuing threats, calling for drastic measures such as the termination of his yoga classes and the removal of his Instagram profile.

The situation took a more contentious turn when a public appeal was made on the social media platform X by @bageshwardham. This account, which is influential in the community, sharply criticized Ansari for his continued questionable activities. The appeal specifically targeted his professional conduct, accusing him of using his platform to post videos that degrade women. “Sohil Ansari, the Yoga teacher who teaches in Delhi's Lodhi Park is indulging in obscene acts by posting objectionable videos of women from his official Instagram account. To end this nuisance, we have issued a public appeal for the closure of his yoga classes. The way he is misbehaving with our sisters and daughter cannot be tolerate,” stated @bageshwardham in a post that amplified the call for action against Ansari.

Despite the mounting criticism and the negative publicity, Ansari maintains a robust online presence. His Instagram account boasts over 2,000 posts and attracts a following of approximately 145,000 users. He continues to conduct yoga sessions at Delhi's prominent Lodhi Park, where he presents himself not only as a yoga instructor but also as a fitness model and an international yoga champion. This dual representation of his professional and public persona further complicates the public's perception and the ongoing debate over his credibility and the appropriateness of his social media content.

Background - Muslim Yoga Teacher Accused of Inappropriately Touching Female Students in Delhi

The controversy surrounding Suhail Ansari, a Muslim yoga teacher from Delhi, escalated due to his alleged inappropriate behavior during yoga sessions. Issues began when several of his videos, which depicted him teaching advanced yoga techniques to female students, went viral and sparked widespread condemnation. Many viewers considered the content of these videos objectionable, raising serious concerns about the propriety of his teachings.

Amidst the turmoil, Pandit Dheerendra Shastri of Bageshwar Dham made serious accusations against Ansari. Shastri claimed that Ansari's videos were not just inappropriate but also part of a larger, troubling pattern. "Such is the dirty politics of these anti-religious snakes in their sleeves. He trapped young girls through yoga and made them have affairs with Muslim boys and get their Nikah done with them. He had four Hindu daughters married to Muslim men. When such things happened in India, my blood boiled," stated Shastri, expressing his outrage over the alleged incidents.

In response to the growing discontent, the official account of Bageshwar Dham released a video aimed at increasing awareness and urging action against these practices. The video highlighted that Ansari's actions were more aligned with teaching obscenity rather than yoga, specifically citing his activities in Delhi’s Lodhi Garden. "We released a video two days ago requesting that these yoga lessons be discontinued. Following this, Suhail apologized," noted the statement from Bageshwar Dham, indicating that their public appeal had an immediate effect.

Despite the apology, the situation remained fraught with tension. Initially, Ansari's controversial videos had helped him gain a significant following on Instagram, but this popularity turned sour when Hindu activists became aware of the content. Their strong objections led to a broader backlash, prompting Ansari to issue an apology.

The Satyaagrah team conducted a thorough examination of Suhail Ansari’s Instagram account and uncovered multiple videos in which he was seen conducting "advanced yoga" sessions with his female students, many of which appeared objectionable. A notable pattern was that the majority of these videos predominantly featured female students, leading several viewers to question whether Ansari was teaching yoga or, controversially, obscenity under the guise of yoga.

Suhail Ansari, in his Instagram bio, claims lofty titles such as Yoga Guru, International Yoga Champion, and International Yoga Teacher. He has a substantial following on Instagram, with about 153,000 followers. Following significant public backlash, Ansari took the step to remove many videos from his account. Originally, his page boasted 2,704 posts, but after the deletions, the number has decreased to 2,644.

On March 29th, in a post on Instagram, Ansari expressed 'remorse' and clarified that his intention was never to offend anyone’s sentiments. He further assured his audience that he was willing to delete any videos that users found offensive, demonstrating a readiness to respond to feedback and complaints. However, he did not address the specific accusations made by Dheerendra Shastri of Bageshwar Dham, which alleged that Ansari had facilitated the marriage of four Hindu women to Muslim men.

Furthermore, several people reacted to his posts by questioning why none of his videos featured any woman wearing a hijab, raising suspicions about whether the advanced yoga teacher was specifically targeting Hindu girls and women.

Adding to the complexity, Islamists, who generally discourage the practice of yoga within the Muslim community by declaring it "Shirk" (a sin) and hence not permissible in Islam, have seemingly not objected to Suhail Ansari’s engagement with the discipline. This silence has been noted as ironic, given their usual stance on yoga, and raises further questions about the underlying dynamics at play.

This ongoing controversy continues to spark debate over the boundaries of cultural and religious practices, the responsibilities of social media influencers, and the implications of their content on diverse audiences.