Delhi CM leads 'Yoga with Yamuna' event, ministers head separate sessions (Lead)

New Delhi, June 21 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday performed Yoga to celebrate the International Yoga Day at the Water Sports Club on the banks of the Yamuna in East Delhi’s Sonia Vihar and vowed to clean the river soon.

Her Cabinet colleagues fanned out across the city and led similar Yoga sessions, which were held at 10 other venues.

CM Gupta took part in Yoga with the theme ‘Yoga with Yamuna’ and reiterated her resolve to clean the river.

Hitting out at the previous AAP government, she said they never took concrete efforts to clean the Yamuna.

She asserted that her government is working with seriousness to ensure that untreated water from drains does not enter the river and that every drop flowing into the Yamuna is clean.

Through the ‘Yoga with Yamuna’ initiative, the message is clear: The Yamuna is being cleaned, and soon, along with boat Yoga sessions, cruise services will also commence, she said.

CM Gupta stressed that Yoga Day should not be treated as a one-day event but must be incorporated into daily life because ‘a healthy citizen is the foundation of a prosperous nation.’

She reiterated that making Delhi the health capital is a shared responsibility.

Delhi Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra, MP Manoj Tiwari, Assembly Deputy Speaker Mohan Singh Bisht, Chief Secretary Dharmendra, senior officials, local representatives, school children, local citizens, and Yoga instructors were also present during the event.

PWD Minister Parvesh Verma led another well-attended Yoga session at Thyagaraj Stadium, and Education Minister Ashish Sood performed Yoga at Chhatrasal Stadium.

Sood said, “In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the support of 177 countries, introduced the proposal for International Yoga Day at the United Nations, which was widely accepted. Since then, the global journey of Yoga has been unstoppable, with countries across the world embracing this ancient Indian practice.”

Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa led the Yoga Day celebrations at the Hockey Ground in Ashok Nagar, performing Yoga with local residents, youth groups and senior citizens.

“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the people of Delhi as we are celebrating International Yoga Day after 11 years. This itself is historic,” said Sirsa, addressing the gathering.

“While the entire world celebrated Yoga Day, the previous Delhi government chose to ignore it — simply because it was PM Modi’s initiative. That mindset kept people away from something that belongs to all of us,” he said.

Minister for Social Welfare, SC/ST/OBC Welfare, Elections, and Cooperation Ravinder Indraj Singh participated in a Yoga session at the Bawana Stadium.

Indraj stated that Yoga not only unites the body, mind, and soul but also strengthens the vision of ‘One Earth, One Health’.

Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh performed Yoga at Deen Dayal Upadhayay Park, DDU Marg, along with hundreds of residents and health officials.

The programme was held under the aegis of the Directorate of AYUSH in collaboration with the Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbia College and Hospital, the Delhi government.

--IANS

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