Guvs, CMs lead Yoga Day celebrations in Northeast, barring in Manipur

Governors, chief ministers, senior security forces officers along with prominent personalities performed yoga across the Northeast region, except in violence-hit Manipur, to mark the 9th International Day of Yoga on Wednesday.

It was a very low-key affair in Manipur where only some ministers and security officials performed yoga to mark the occasion. As Manipur continues to reel under ethnic turmoil, yoga practitioners in Imphal under the banner of All Manipur Yoga Fraternity Union decided not to observe the day. Instead, they mourned the victims of the violence.

Protesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence over the violence in Manipur, a large number of people held a sit-in protest at the Thoubal fair ground on the occasion of International Yoga day, raising slogans against the Prime Minister.

Rizorio Okram, one of the protesters, said that the Prime minister is preaching the message of peace and harmony in the world while conveniently ignoring the fact that a part of his own country is burning for the last 50 days.

Accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma attended a yoga session at Dhubri, in which MLAs, senior government officials and hundreds of people also took part.

After taking part in a yoga event in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu tweeted: Yoga cultivates the ways of maintaining a balanced attitude in day-to-day life and endows skill in the performance of one's actions, BKS Iyengar.

"Let's make #Yoga a way of life to stay fit and give our best to build a happier and healthier society. Heartiest greetings and wishes of #InternationalYogaDay to lovely people of #ArunachalPradesh."

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, accompanied by ministers, leaders and officials, also took part in a yoga session in Agartala.

Saha later tweeted: "Yoga is rooted in ancient Indian tradition. It keeps our body and minds healthy. Attended the state-level yoga session at the international exhibition hall, Hapania, on the occasion of International Yoga Day.

"This year, the theme for International Yoga Day is 'Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' which reflects Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji's vision for wellness of the people across the world as one family."

Defence, para-military and security personnel, civil officials, along with people from all walks of life also participated in yoga sessions organised at hundreds of locations across the northeastern states.

An Army tweet said: "Warriors celebrate International Yoga Day 2023 in the historic battlefields of Arunachal Pradesh and amidst picturesque landscape in Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Assam. Let's promote the benefits of yoga and its impact on physical and mental health."

Students in large numbers, along with teaching and non-teaching staff, also attended yoga sessions across the region and took part in various events, including poster-making competitions, to celebrate the occasion.