Yoga not programme of Modi, do it for body: Vice President Venkaiah Naidu
New Delhi, Jun 21: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu Friday said people need to understand that yoga is not a programme of the government or Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and they should do it for their wellbeing.
Participating in an event organised by the Ministry of Ayush and Brahma Kumaris to mark the International Day of Yoga at the iconic Red Fort here, he also recommended making yoga part of school curriculum.
Naidu appealed to everyone to make yoga a people's movement and "to understand that it's not a programme of the government or (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi".
"We should all see that it becomes a people's movement. Modi took initiative and propagated yoga across the world. But, we need to understand that yoga is for body and not because of Modi," he said.
At a time when people are encountering tremendous pressures in daily lives, there is a great need to introduce the subtle science of yoga, which everyone can use not just to achieve physical well-being, but also to lead a better life by making enlightened choices, he said.
"Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India possibly around the fifth century. We need to propagate and preserve this holistic practice by making it a part of the school curriculum as it not only ensures physical fitness and mental equilibrium but also inculcates discipline," he said.
The vice president said it's all the more necessary in the wake of changing lifestyles and growing incidence of non-communicable diseases in the country.
"The time has come that we must go back to the old ways of living. These lifestyle changes are damaging our younger generation. There's no physical activity, no spiritual activity. We are all craving for prosperity and temporary pleasure," he said.
Naidu, who arrived 10 minutes earlier than the scheduled time, wore a white t-shirt with a monogram of the Ayush Ministry, pyjamas and slippers.
Organisers said around 40,000 people, including the CISF personnel deployed at the Red Fort, participated in the yoga day event.
Naidu, along with the participants, did light exercises and raj yoga that focuses on thought management.
The vice president also asked the youths not to get carried away by western food practices.
"We all have a fascination for western food. Some people call it instant food. I would like to caution... instant food means constant disease.
"Our forefathers gave us good food practices according to seasons and regions. We must get back to our old food habits and not get carried away by burgers or pizzas. Unfortunately, our children are getting swayed away by propaganda and branding by some icons," he said.
Participating in the event, Chancellor of Maulana Azad National Urdu University Firoz Bakht Ahmed said, "Some people from my religion had objected to surya namaskar. I declare that Aum is a pious word. A stands for Allah and M for Mohammad. So, there is no reason to fight."
Ahmed, the grandnephew of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, first education minister of India, also praised Modi for propagating yoga across the world.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
