Yoga connects all religions for betterment of body, mind and soul of mankind: Rajnath

New Delhi: "Yoga connects all religions for the betterment of the body, mind, and soul of mankind," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday as he inaugurated the New Delhi Municipal Council's monumental International Yoga Day event, held at Rajpath in the Capital city. The mass Yoga event was organised by the NDMC in collaboration with the Ministry of AYUSH to celebrate the 5th International Yoga Day.

Prominent dignitaries such as the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Anil Baijal, Cabinet Minister Prakash Javadekar, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, and several other Union Ministers joined Singh in performing various Yoga poses to celebrate the occasion.

The Defence Minister said, "When Yoga connects with karma, it had emerged into a big and strong force for the wellness of mankind and helps to transform a strong and prosperous nation. Calling upon the gathering, the Minister said that an amalgamation of Yoga and Karma might be helpful for making India a Vishawguru. And today not only the Indians but people of over 177 countries have been performing Yoga protocol with letter and spirit." Traffic was also restricted around New Delhi in the day and mats were also rolled out at Lodhi Garden, Nehru Park, and Talkatora Garden, among other NDMC areas.

While Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Law and Justice, Communication and IT, Piyush Goyal, Minister of Railway, Commerce, and Industry and Jayant Sinha, former Union Minister and Member Parliament along with Shri BS Bhati, Member NDMC performed Yoga at Lodhi Garden, Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Steel, Petroleum and Natural Gas performed Yoga Protocol at Talkatora Garden with the volunteers of Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, RWAs and MTAs of New Delhi area.

Around 18,000 participants including VIPs, Art of Living, Patanjali Yoga Samiti, Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Vivekananda Yogashram Hospital, Parjapati Brahamakumari, Isha Foundation, Gayatri Parivar, Delhi Police, CISF, diplomats, the general public and NDMC and other government officials performed common yoga postures at Rajpath.