'If indeed Nehru popularised Yoga': BJP vs Congress; Tharoor thanks PMO, MEA
As the Congress remembered Nehru on International Yoga Day, the BJP said it's a full circle for them. Tharoor said PMO, MEA should also get the credit.
Hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the Yoga Day celebrations at UN headquarters today, the Congress shared the photo of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru doing sirsasana (headstand) and remembered him for being instrumental in 'popularising Yoga and even made it a part of national policy'. "Let us appreciate the importance of the ancient art and philosophy in our physical and mental wellbeing and take steps to incorporate in our lives," the Congress tweeted.
In his speech at the 69th session of the UN General Assembly on September 27, 2014, PM Modi put forward the concept of Yoga Day, which was first observed on June 21, 2015 and then became a global celebration. Read | Yoga Day event in Surat set new Guinness World Record: Minister Harsh Sanghavi
As Congress credited Nehru for yoga, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla dug out Rahul Gandhi's 2019 tweet in which he compared Indian Army soldiers with Army dogs -- both doing yoga in a photo he shared. "New India," he captioned the photo. Referring to that objectionable tweet, Shehzad wrote, "From mocking yoga (tweet by Rahul Gandhi) to now the Congress trying to steal credit for the first family. It seems the Congress party has come a full circle."
"At the very least they could thank India & Indians whose efforts led to its recognition on a global platform since 2015 with an overwhelming mandate. Today when India represented by PM Modi will lead Yoga Day celebrations at UN HQ it is a matter of collective national pride but Congress is suffering from cataract of parivarvaad & hence can’t see anybody beyond one family
By the way have u ever seen any congress leader doing Yoga on this day if indeed Nehru popularised it?" Poonawalla wrote.
Shashi Tharoor thanks PMO, MEA on Yoga Day
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor shared Nehru's headstand photo and said the government, the PMO and the MEA should also be credited for popularising yoga. "Indeed! We should also acknowledge all those who revived & popularised yoga, including our government,
@PMOIndia & @MEAIndia, for internationalising #InternationalYogaDay through the @UN. As I have argued for decades, yoga is a vital part of our soft power across the world & it's great to see it recognized," Tharoor wrote.