Year-long 'Healthy Mizoram Campaign' ends

The year-long "Healthy Mizoram Campaign" organised by the Assam Rifles to promote a natural, healthy and disease free lifestyle through exercise and naturopathy has ended. It saw the participation of over 10,000 people, an official said here on Friday.

"An impressive function together with physical exercises marked the concluding functions of the year long 'Healthy Mizoram Campaign' at the Assam Rifles ground here late Thursday evening," the Assam Rifles official said.

The Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India (ICFAI) University Vice-Chancellor

Lt.Gen A.K. Mishra (Rtd.), who was the chief guest at the function, lauded the efforts of the Assam Rifles to promote a healthy lifestyle especially in the state's remote border areas which are devoid of basic medical facilities.

The campaign was launched by former Mizoram Governor Lt. Gen. Nirbhay Sharma, (Rtd.) on June 21 last year, which coincides with International Yoga Day, to promote a natural, healthy and disease free lifestyle through exercise and naturopathy among the people.

Under the campaign, the Assam Rifles has conducted many health related seminars, medical camps, blood donation camps, AIDS and drugs awareness campaign and other health related events.

Meanwhile, the observance of the 4th International Yoga Day in Christian-dominated Mizoram was very low key when seven other northeastern states observed the day in an impressive manner on Thursday.

Paramilitary forces -- Assam Rifles and Border Security Force -- observed the Yoga Day in the state.

However, Mizoram's two powerful NGOs -- People's Right to Identity and Status of Mizoram (PRISM) and Young Mizo Association (YMA) - separately alleged that the Central government was imposing the traditional practice on the state's people.

"We would continue to oppose if the Central government forcibly and unilaterally imposes the practice of yoga on the people of the state," a PRISM leader said.

The YMA and other student organisations in separate statements made similar claims and said that the "imposition of yoga was the hidden agenda of a couple of Hindu organisations among the Sangh Parivar".

--IANS

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