Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that he was gladdened by the response to International Yoga Day and that it was heartening to see people from all walks of life join the celebrations across the world.


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He also said that the participation of youngsters and women in the programmes all over the world was particularly encouraging.


At the same time, he urged citizens of the world to continue practicing Yoga regularly and make it an integral part of their lives. 






Lakhs of people across India and abroad stretched themselves in various postures to mark the second International Yoga Day today as PM Modi led the main event in Chandigarh, performing asanas, maintaining that yoga is not a religious activity.


Dressed in a white T-shirt and trousers with a scarf around his neck, PM Modi joined over 30,000 people including defense forces personnel and school children for the event and asked people to embrace yoga like they have taken to mobile phones, saying "it gives us health assurance at zero budget".


The Prime Minister stressed that yoga was not 'dharmik karamkand' (a religious activity) but a 'science for this life'.


He also urged people not to drag yoga into a controversy.


Pitching for treating diseases like diabetes through the ancient discipline, he said, "All people belonging to yoga field, whatever knowledge they have, they must continue with the rest of their yoga activities but this (diabetes) must be the main focus".



As participants bent and stretched themselves at the French architect Le-Corbusier designed Capitol Complex, he said Yoga is not about what one will get, but it is about what one can give up.


(With PTI inputs)