Delhi CM Rekha Gupta leads International Yoga Day event along Yamuna Ghat
Written By Drishti Jain
On the occasion of the 11th International Yoga Day, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta performed yoga with other participants at the Sonia Vihar Water Sports Club along the Yamuna Ghat early on Saturday.
As part of 'Yoga With Yamuna,' children performed yoga in the middle of the river, while others kayaked bearing Indian flags. The event was among the 11 programmes being conducted across Delhi on the occasion.
Speaking about her experience, the chief minister said, 'I get reminded of my duties whenever I see the Yamuna. In an attempt to keep the Yamuna clean throughout Delhi, we have removed almost 1,000 tonnes of water hyacinth from it with the help of drones (launched as a pilot project) with help of the water department.' Gupta added that there are plans to run cruises along the river.
She also hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for 'giving Yoga Day to the world' and for giving periodic reminders to lead a healthy life.
Minister of Tourism Kapil Mishra, who was present at the event, said it was the first official yoga programme held by the government after many years. Meanwhile, taking a dig at the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, MP Manoj Tiwari said, 'I fully trust the present ruling party. They will make Yamuna clean and healthy again.' Deputy Speaker Mohan Singh Bisht and Delhi chief secretary Dharmendra Kumar were also present.
Before the yoga session began, PM Modi's speech from Visakhapatnam was telecast live on multiple screens at the venue. 'The whole world knows us today because of yoga,' said Balveer Singh Chauhan, 52, a resident of Soniya Vihar who performed yoga among the other participants. He said that doing yoga even for 15 minutes daily can keep your mind and soul calm.
Dr Sangeeta Chaudhary, 52, who sat near Chauhan, said it was good to celebrate Yoga Day on such a large scale. 'Performing yoga should be a must for people who are above 40. I believe yoga camps should be held monthly,' she added.
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