Union Home Minister Amit Shah on June 20 said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken Indian culture and traditions to the global stage with the help of International Yoga Day, which is celebrated across the world on June 21. Notably, Mr. Modi will be leading the Yoga Day celebrations at the lawns of the United Nations headquarters in New York on June 21.
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Addressing a gathering in Ahmedabad, Mr. Shah said PM Modi turned the practice of Yoga into a public movement that has benefitted many people. Mr. Modi has become the first head of a country who will be leading the Yoga Day celebrations at the UN, he said.
“Through Yoga Day, PM Modi took Indian culture and traditions to the entire world. The entire world has embraced Yoga and it is celebrated in 170 countries on June 21,” said Mr. Shah after inaugurating a public garden near Shilaj area of the city.
Shilaj falls under Mr. Shah’s Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency. “Our ancient research proved that we will not need medicines if we perform Yoga regularly. Narendrabhai turned this ancient knowledge into a public movement and inspired people to embrace this lifestyle. This practice has changed the lives of many people,” he added.
Before that, Mr. Shah inaugurated a railway overbridge in Jagatpur area of the city and another public garden at New Ranip.
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On the occasion, he urged the invited guests, including builders associated with the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI), to plant more trees and take the activity up as a movement. He asked the builders to plant at least 25 trees in each of the schemes they have developed so far in the State.
Early on June 20, Mr. Shah visited the 400-year-old Jagannath Temple in the Jamalpur area on the occasion of Rath Yatra and performed mangal aarti (auspicious ritual to pay obeisance to the deity).
