International Yoga Day: Ramdev hails Prime Minister Narendra Modi's role behind UN decision

NEW DELHI: With UN designating June 21 as the International Yoga Day, yoga guru Ramdev today said that while credit goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for championing the initiative leading to the declaration, one must not forget the contribution made by sages and seers to the discipline.

"No prime minister (before Modi) talked about yoga on the global stage. It was Modi ji who ran the campaign for an International Yoga Day and garnered support of 177 countries.

"This is the first time that a proposal in the UN received the support of 177 countries with not even a single country opposing it."

"Modi ji and his government are completely given credit for this but, socially and spiritually, there are several great men ('mahapurush') who worked hard for yoga education and they should also be recognised," Ramdev told reporters here.

Less than three months after Modi mooted the proposal, the UN General Assembly has adopted an India-led resolution for declaring June 21 as 'International Day of Yoga' as it recognised that "Yoga provides a holistic approach to health and well-being".

Asked about the idea of introducing yoga education in schools, Ramdev said Modi had discussed the same with him before he had become prime minister even as he added that he was committed to spreading yoga in the fields of education, health, etc.

Meanwhile, slamming the opposition over the issue of black money, Ramdev said, "They (opposition) don't have any issues left with which to oppose Modi ji. We have waited for 66 years; Modi, whose government has not even completed a year, should be given time. I don't have any doubt as to his promise in this regard and, so, he should be given a chance."

Asked about the alleged conversions in Agra, Ramdev said that our main religion is "Indian" and that is our main culture as well.

"Our religion can be different, but our ancestors are not different. I want that there should be a country-wide campaign to educate people that our religion can be different but our ancestors are similar and we should live unitedly," he said.