‘Yogi’ Modi clicks selfies with participants

In a befitting reply to Opposition parties for mocking International Yoga Day (IYD) celebrations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday stressed that yoga is not a religious practice and should not be mired into controversy as he joined over 30,000 people for mega event.

Modi, dressed in a white T-shirt and trouser along with a scarf, addressed a massive gathering at the Capitol Complex amid tight security.

Urging people to make yoga a part of their life just like mobile phone, he asserted that the ancient form of exercise was the most selfless of its kind  and brought together all sections of the society.

Hitting out at the Opposition parties, who have been linking yoga with Hinduism, the PM said, “Yoga is not a religious activity. Many people do not understand yoga at all,” adding, “It (yoga) helps is getting mukti (salvation) from health issues.”

Expressing concern over rising number of patients suffering from diabetes, Modi asked yoga trainers to help in controlling the disease. “I appeal to all yoga gurus to focus on one thing – how to mitigate diabetes through yoga. The disease can surely be controlled through it,” he said. 

“Yoga is for the believer and non-believer as well. It does not differentiate between the rich and the poor or the literate and the illiterate,” he said.

Modi announced that two annual awards would be given from the next year – one for doing exceptional work for the promotion of yoga at internationally and the other at national level.

After performing Yoga, the Prime Minister mingled with the people at the event, some of whom even took selfies with him. He also met Divyang participants. About 150 Divyangs were assisted in performing yoga ‘asanas’ at the event for the first time.

Modi said IYD had become a “jan andolan” or people’s movement since the last year.

Defence forces personnel, ITBP personnel, Punjab Armed Police personnel, Punjab University students and schoolchildren were among the participants.

Minister of Ayush (I/C) Shripad Naik, MoS for Social Justice Vijay Sampla and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar performed various asanas at the venue.

Interestingly, Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal and Chandigarh’s Lieutenant Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, who were present at venue, stayed away from stretching their arms and legs.

Asserting that Yoga Day has garnered massive support from across the world, Modi said, “The United Nations observes several events, but no other movement has attained a global status like the Yoga Day.”

“Through the United Nations, the IYD is being celebrated throughout the world. The whole world supported it whether it was developed or developing nations. Every section of the society supported it.”

Around 7,000 security personnel, including 4,000 paramilitary jawans and 3,000 officers of the Chandigarh Police, were deployed at the venue.

Meanwhile, Congress workers were taken into preventive custody, while taking out a protest march towards the Capitol Complex, where PM Modi was leading the IYD, on Tuesday.

The party workers from Chandigarh and Punjab were carrying black flags as they marched but they were stopped by the police at Sector 34-35 and sector 15 respectively and taken into preventive custody, police said.