Minister for AYUSH Shripad Naik says Baba Ramdev will be present at Rajpath mega event with PM
New Delhi : Yoga and Ayurveda are India’s finest gifts to humanity and the entire world is accepting this truth now, claims Shripad Naik, Minister for AYUSH in the Narendra Modi government.
Talking to Free Press Journal while supervising the preparations for the mega event, Naik said he is baffled that certain section of the Indian society has objected to age old practice of Yoga. “Those who are objecting should first understand that 200 member nations of the United Nations were part of the decision to observe International Yoga Day. Had it been un-Islamic, would not they have objected? Therefore, it appears that some elements in our country are simply opposing it because they want to oppose anything initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi”, countered Naik.
He claimed that Yoga is a means of ensuring a physically and mentally healthy life for everyone and it was surprising that there are people who oppose a healthy life. “Even so we have made it clear that those who have an objection to the Yoga can stay away from the event”, Naik clarified.
The Minister also added that parents who were not interested could choose not to send their children to school on June 21, though he argued that sending children for half an hour was no big problem. “We have already directed states to take a break on Monday in lieu of June 21 which is a Sunday, he informed.
Answering a question on why Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev was keeping away from the international Yoga event, Naik claimed that Baba Ramdev would be one of the four Gurus present at the Rajpath event with PM Modi. Four Gurus, one each from the north, south, east and west have been chosen to lead the massive Yoga session.
Countering Rahul Gandhi’s allegation that the PM was trying to divert attention from serious issues by talking of Yoga, Naik said the Congress leader was trying to bring in politics into the issue but the people of the country were wise enough to see through it.
The declaration of June 21 as International Yoga Day by the UN is being flaunted by the Modi government as a mark of its growing clout in the global arena. To promote Yoga in long term, the centre has decided to open Yoga Wellness centres in every block. The funds for opening these centres would be handed over to the states, Naik informed. Further, the HRD ministry had decided to include Yoga as part of the curriculum from Class-V onwards.
“Just as physical education is imparted in schools, Yoga would also be a part of the school curriculum”, Naik said.
Meanwhile, the AYUSH ministry is working with the concerned departments to make Yoga a part of daily schedule for policemen, army and paramilitary personnel. “These are the people who work under maximum stress and we think Yoga is the best medicine for it”, the minister said.
Smita Mishra
