Naidu urges people to make yoga a mass movement

Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu today appealed to people to make yoga a mass movement, saying it promotes harmony.
The Information and Broadcasting Minister also reached out to those who "do not believe" in the ancient system of excerise and healing, asking them to take part in the three- day International Yoga Festival which he inaugurated here today.
"All of you should practice yoga and make it a mass movement as the ancient practice promotes harmony in the society," Naidu said.
Pointing to the presence of yoga luminaries like Ramdev, Swami Chidanand, Sister Asha of Brahma Kumaris, Acharya Lokesh Muni among others at the dias, Naidu said it was a rare experience to have such a constellation of yoga gurus and institutions under one roof.

He said yoga was India's priceless heritage and added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at the UNESCO headquarters paved the path for the UN to pass a resolution for making June 21 as International Yoga Day.
"We are happy to be have united the world on a positive agenda," the minister added.

Terming yoga as an "intergral part of Hindutva", Naidu said that "Hindutva is way of life and not a religion".
The main purpose of the festival is to sensitise the masses on the celebration of International Yoga Day.
The event at Talkatora Stadium is being organised by AYUSH Ministry, the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY) in association with Indian Yoga Association (IYA).

More than 3,500 participants, including eminent yoga gurus, scholars, policy makers, yoga enthusiasts and experts of allied sciences and representatives from 15-18 countries, are going to participate in this mega event.
The event will comprise yoga workshops, lecture, yoga demo by yoga masters, satsang and cultural programmes by eminent yoga gurus.
The Centre has shortlisted the names of a few cities, including Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Ranchi, for venue of the main function of International Yoga Day this year. A final decision will be taken in a couple of weeks.