PM Modi Leads Yoga Day Events, Says ‘Yoga Assures Health’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at Chandigarh to kick start the second International Day of Yoga.
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As India woke up to an early morning call for yoga to mark the second International Yoga Day, we at The Quint think this is the best way of doing it.
- The second International Yoga Day celebrations were held in Chandigarh, led by PM Modi.
- Modi has stressed that yoga is “not a religious event” and should not be dragged into controversy.
- In Delhi, President Pranab Mukherjee led yoga sessions at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has said that International Yoga Day is being celebrated in 191 countries.
- June 21 was named the International Yoga Day by the United Nations.
Amid controversies over chanting “Om”, backlash from fringe groups and criticism for propagating the Hindutva agenda, the second leg of International Yoga Day was celebrated in the country on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday morning arrived at Chandigarh’s Capitol Complex to kick-start the celebrations.
Joining over 30,000 yoga enthusiasts, Modi led the yoga session at the venue. More than 5,000 police personnels were expected to be a part of the security arrangements on Tuesday.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon asked people across the world to celebrate the spirit of yoga regardless of ethnicity, faith, gender and sexual orientation.
Top 3 Things Modi Said On Yoga
Addressing the crowd, PM Modi said that the day is associated with good health and that yoga has transformed itself into a “mass movement.”
- Yoga will connect you to yourself, which is vital in these times when everyone is so busy.
- I really feel some people don’t fully understand the power and benefits of Yoga.
- With zero budget, yoga provides health insurance. Yoga does not discriminate between rich and poor.
Modi also asserted that the practice has been growing in popularity over the years and wished for more yoga instructors to be produced in the country.
He also announced two awards for the Yoga Day celebrations next year, one at the national level and the other at the international level.
President Pranab Mukherjee Launched Celebrations In Delhi
In Delhi, President Pranab Mukherjee launched Yoga Day celebrations at Rashtrapati Bhavan where around 1,000 people took part.
The celebration also began at seven other locations in Delhi, including Connaught Place. The celebrations took place despite concerns about forecasts of pre-monsoon showers in Chandigarh, as well as in Delhi.
Yoga Sessions Across The Country
Across the country, 57 ministers – including Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Education Minister Smriti Irani led yoga sessions.
World Celebrates Yoga Day
The United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in December 2014.
Here’s how yoga enthusiasts across the world joined the celebrations.
(With agency inputs)
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