Yoga should become people's movement: M. Venkaiah Naidu

Mumbai : Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday said that he wanted to make yoga a people's movement.Speaking on the occasion of the 4th International Yoga Day, Vice President Naidu told reporters, "This is a good beginning. Four years ago, our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) initiated this programme. I want yoga to become a people's movement because it is not something political or religious, it is for the betterment of our lives. It (Yoga) shouldn't be just for one day, it should be a part of our daily lives."

He stressed that he plays badminton for an hour and does physical exercises every day, which he added, was helping him to keep fit and do his official work seamlessly.

Citing the example of a lady called Nanammal, a 99-year-old yoga instructor from Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore, Vice President Naidu urged others to take inspiration and practice yoga.He went on to say that if people started doing yoga, then it would help to create a healthy world and healthy country.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis while observing the day said, "We are very proud that International Yoga Day was started by us and is being celebrated across the world. All the credits go to our Prime Minister. After doing yoga, I feel very enthusiastic and fresh."Union Minister Babul Supriyo, who was also present in the function stressed that practicing yoga is important for attaining a peace of mind and staying physically fit.

The singer-turned-politician lauded Prime Minister Modi for launching such an initiative on a global scale and described it as a matter of great pride and honour for the country.Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that yoga has become one of the unifying forces of the world.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion in Dehradun, Prime Minister Modi said, "In today's fast-changing time, Yoga binds together a person's body, brain and soul, hence making one experience a feeling of peace. Dehradun se Dublin tak, Shanghai se Chicago tak, Jakarta se Johannesburg tak, Yoga hi Yoga hai (From Dehradun to Dublin, Shanghai to Chicago, Jakarta to Johannesburg, there is Yoga all around). Yoga has become one of the unifying forces of the world."

The first International Day of Yoga was observed all over the world on June 21, 2015, where more than 30,000 people, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, performed yoga asanas at Rajpath in New Delhi.The idea of International Day of Yoga was first proposed by Prime Minister Modi during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 27 September 2014.