International Yoga Day: Union ministers roll out yoga mat across country

Lucknow: As Union Ministers spread across the country on Tuesday to celebrate the 2nd International Yoga Day, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Shia cleric Maulana Yasoob Abbas practiced Yoga in Lucknow as Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the way in Chandigarh.

The Ministers lead various programmes hosted by the Government across the country, including Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu, Delhi Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung and Bharatiya Janata Party MP Meenakshi Lekhi performing Yoga in Delhi, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal in Raipur, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in Nagpur, while BJP Chief Amit Shah and Baba Ramdev practicing in Yoga Faridabad

"Yoga is such a passion in India, we are practicing to show our support," said US Ambassador Richard Rahul Verma after performing Yoga at the US Embassy in Delhi.

"I congratulate PM Modi. It is a good thing that 193 countries agreed for the International Yoga Day celebration. Yoga exercise is good for mental and physical fitness. India has shown the direction of yoga to the world. Now a day's people lead very hectic life, so one should definitely perform yoga to stay healthy and fit," CM Raman Singh told the media in Raipur.

"The PM has enhanced the respect for India in the world. Yoga is showing direction for discipline, peace, concentration etc," said Piyush Goyal in Raipur.

Fanning out across India to take part in programmes, BCCI Chief Anurag Thakur and cricketer Harbhajan Singh performed Yoga in Dharamsala, while Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and BJP leader Om Mathur did the same in Jaipur.

Meanwhile, Northeastern state of Agartala is also practicing Yoga at a Yoga camp while Navy personnel performed Yoga onboard on aircraft carrier INS Viraat.

President Mukherjee appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts in pulling off the annual event successfully, and called on the world community to practice yoga to stay fit and healthy.

At the Rashtrapati House event which was attended by more than 1,000 people, Mukherjee said, "On the basis of Prime Minister's proposal United Nations on 11 December, 2014 at the 69th session of the UN assembly decided that the June 21 would be observed as International Yoga Day."

"One thing is very interesting to note that how much interest was created as many as 177 countries who are the members of the United Nations general assembly cosponsored their allusion," he said.