Nitin Jain and Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today sought to distance yoga from religion while asserting that the ancient spiritual discipline was no religious activity and people must embrace it for better mental and physical health.

Clad in a white T-shirt and track pants along with a scarf, the yoga-enthusiast PM led over 30,000 participants, including divyangs, a term coined by him for the physically challenged, defence personnel and schoolchildren for the second International Day of Yoga celebrations at the iconic Capitol Complex amid tight security here.

In his 25-minute address in Hindi, Modi said, “Yoga is not a religious activity. Many people do not understand yoga completely. It is not what you will get from yoga but what is important is what you will give to yoga and what all (ailments) it will rid you of.” He said yoga was for both believers and non-believers, and there was no need to create any controversy over it. “It helps in getting mukti (salvation) from health issues,” the PM said, in an attempt to de-link the belief among some that yoga was part of Hinduism.

“Among all days marked by the UN, no day has equalled the mass movement the International Day of Yoga has generated. It has become the biggest mass movement worldwide,” said Modi, who was instrumental in getting the United Nations to declare June 21 as the International Day of Yoga.

“Today, people in all parts of the country have connected with yoga,” he said, while stating that the world had come forward to support the idea of the International Day of Yoga. He added that all sections of society had come together in this endeavour.

The Prime Minister said with zero budget, yoga provided “health assurance”, and did not discriminate between the rich and the poor. Calling for a mass public movement for treating diabetes through yoga, Modi said, “I want to request trainers associated with yoga from this public platform. Till next year when we celebrate the yoga day, you continue to do what you do for yoga, but focus on one subject, and this is my subject – diabetes – diabetes and yoga,” he said. “All people belonging to the yoga field, whatever knowledge they have, must continue with the rest of their yoga activities but this (diabetes) must be the main focus,” he said.

Expressing concern over the rising number of patients suffering from diabetes, Modi asked yoga trainers to help in controlling the disease. “In India, patients suffering from diabetes are rising. We may or may not be able to get rid of the disease, but with the help of yoga, diabetes can be controlled. Can we start a public campaign to suggest measures in yoga to the common man suffering from diabetes? It will be an achievement if we can help in treating diabetes. From next year, we can take another disease. But I want that for good health, we should address any one disease every year. We should run a public campaign with an aim to address one disease,” he said. “Yoga is not only a way to get rid of a disease but it also guarantees wellness. For the holistic development of lives, yoga is a great way,” the Prime Minister said, while calling for focus in the next one year on how to mitigate diabetes through yoga.

Modi, who stayed at the Punjab Raj Bhawan here last night, participated in a mass demonstration of “Common Yoga Protocol”, and performed yoga asanas along with over 30,000 people from all ages – 10,000 each from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana.

The Prime Minister mingled with the participants, especially divyangs and 16 inmates of the Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre, Mohali, who were doing asanas on wheelchairs during the mass yoga demonstration.

4 am: Yogis line up at venue

Donning T-shirts and track pants, enthusiasts shortlisted to perform yoga began lining up around the spruced-up Capitol Complex around 4 am. A visitor was carrying the National Flag at the venue to welcome the participants

VVIPs walk to venue

Even VVIPs were not allowed to enter their car from the main entrance. A number of ministers, MPs and MLAs of Punjab and Haryana were seen walking towards the venue after alighting from their official vehicles.

30,000 perform yoga

Besides 30,000-odd yoga enthusiasts who performed yoga at the Capitol Complex, about 10,000 people also performed yoga at over 100 other locations in the city. Similarly, the left-out shortlisted enthusiasts from Mohali and Panchkula practised yoga at their respective locations.

500 master trainers

The Capitol Complex was divided into eight blocks where 500 master trainers, along with their team members, performed asanas. Several LED screens were installed at the venue, where 300 bio-toilets and 30,000 mats had been put in place.

5,000 security men

Tight security arrangements were made with more than 5,000 police and paramilitary personnel keeping vigil at the venue. Private vehicles were barred from going near the venue.

23 sculptures

The PM was presented with a replica of “Surya Namaskar” by the Punjab Governor. The replica was made by the Rock Garden creator, the late Nek Chand’s son Anuj Saini. Saini said 23 sculptures, depicting several yoga asanas, were installed at various points in the sprawling Capitol Complex.