Yoga is most powerful unifying forces; Modi

DAINIK NATION BUREAU

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is leading close to 50,000 people today in Dehradun to mark the fourth International Yoga Day celebrations while many union ministers are participating in similar events across the country. Addressing the gathering, PM Modi said, “Yoga has emerged as the biggest unifying force in the world.” The Prime Minister reached the venue a little after 6:30 am, addressed the gathering and is now performing yoga along with those assembled there. PM Modi, who arrived in Dehradun late last evening, was welcomed at the airport by Uttarakhand Governor Krishna Kant Paul, Chief Minister TS Rawat and a host of other leaders and officials.

Greeting yoga enthusiasts across the world on the occasion, PM Modi said that yoga has become the biggest mass movement and it has shown the world the path from illness to wellness. “Instead of increasing suffering, Yoga heals,” PM Modi said before he went on to perform the asanas.

Wearing a white t-shirt with red colour collar and a pair of white trousers, PM Modi performed breathing exercises and asanas on the lawns of the Forest Research Institute (FRI). Giving him company were thousands of other yoga enthusiasts who performed the asanas on saffron yoga mats. It was the Prime Minister who led the chanting of the first round of ‘Om’.

“From Dehradun to Dublin, Shanghai to Chicago, Jakarta to Johannesburg, yoga has become a positive influence in the lives of millions,” PM Modi said this morning.

Thanking PM Modi for selecting Dehradun to host the main event, Uttarakhand Chief Minister TS Rawat said the move will boost tourism in the state.  Over 50,000 mats have been spread at the main function venue that has been shut to visitors over the past two days. Nearly 3,000 security personnel are on duty and over 60 CCTV cameras will keep a close watch.

Ironically after addressing to the nation, PM went to the venue of yoga alone and performed yoga among the people sporting blue T-shirt. There orange colour mat was laid so PM Practices yoga as common man.

Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Suresh Prabhu, Uma Bharti, Ram Vilas Paswan, Ravi Shankar Prasad are participating in yoga events in Lucknow, Nagpur, Chennai, Rudraprayag, Hajipur and Patna respectively.
Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu will be present in Mumbai at a yoga event organised by a non-profit run by BJP’s Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will also be present on the occasion.
The celebrations are not just limited to India. Personnel of the Indian Navy participating in Malabar military exercises with the Japanese and US navies off Guam in the Pacific Ocean performed yoga on board the warships.