Yoga as important as salt, says Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said yoga in life is as important as salt, which though needed only in small quantity serves many important purposes."

Addressing around 50,000 yoga enthusiasts at the sprawling Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan here, Modi said yoga can make people healthy at a very low cost. He said 1.25 billion people of the country can become fit and healthy by practising yoga.

Yoga, which once used to be the domain of only ‘rishis’ (sages), has now become part of everybody’s life, Modi said, adding that it teaches the art to live under ups and downs.

The prime minister, who performed around six ‘asanas’ (postures) for about 30 minutes amid the rain, said more and more countries have adopted yoga. Modi said yoga has also become a great employment generator.

“Yoga has also been providing job avenues to trained professionals. The demand for yoga teachers has been rising,” he added. Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and many state Cabinet ministers practised yoga with the prime minister.

People began gathering at the venue from midnight. A source said around 50,000 people turned up to practise yoga with Modi. started raining in the early hours, people chose not to leave.