Modi Says Yoga Emerges As A Force For Unity

Jun 21, 2020, 07:34 IST

NEW DELHI: Prme Minister Narendra Modi addressing the nation on the occasion of International Yoga Day(June 21st) said that "Yoga enhances our quest for a healthier planet. It has emerged as a force for unity and deepens the bonds of humanity. It does not discriminate. It goes beyond race, colour, gender, faith and nations. Anybody can embrace Yoga". He further added that, "If we can fine tune our chords of health and hope, the day is not far away when world will witness the success of healthy and happy humanity. Yoga can definitely help us make this happen."

Modi asserted that, "All of us are doing yoga at home with the family. Yoga unifies people, unifies the world. Yoga is helping us fight against the deadly coronavirus pandemic. The pranayamas help us in building immunity and resolving respiratory illnesses." PM Modi shared his remarks on this special occasion, here is the video.

Greetings on #YogaDay! Sharing my remarks on this special occasion. https://t.co/8eIrBklnLI

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 21, 2020

Due to COVID-19 there are no mass gatherings. The Ministry of AYUSH had planned to conduct an event in Leh on the occasion of International Yoga Day and Modi was supposed to attend the event but it was cancelled due to coronavirus crisis in the country.

Modi announced the International Yoga Day in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on September 27th, 2014. The Yoga Day is to be celebrated digitally for the first time since 21 June, 2019. The theme of this year is 'Home Yoga and Family Yoga'.

The ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy or AYUSH said that, "Due to the current global health emergency due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the focus this year is less on such celebrations and more on people performing Yoga at their respective homes with participation of the entire family."

Modi urged the people to observe the yoga day from their homes and said that, "We all know that until now nowhere in the world have they been able to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 or coronavirus. Which is why right now, only a strong immunity can act as a protective shield or a bodyguard for us and our family members... yoga is our trusted friend in building this protective shield (of immunity)."