PM Modi’s ‘Surya Namaskar’ barb invites ‘unemployment aasan’ jibe from Akhilesh Yadav

PM Modi’s ‘Surya Namaskar’ was seen as a response to Rahul Gandhi’s reported comments about “youngsters beating up Modi with sticks over the lack of jobs”

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday saying it would be good if the PM could suggest an ‘Aasan’ (yoga exercise) for the unemployed youth of the country.

Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav responded to PM Modi’s ‘Surya Namaskar’ jibe on Rahul Gandhi (PTI Photo)

Prime Minister Modi is known to practice Yoga and promoting it as part of a healthy lifestyle. Prime Minister had recently referred to a ‘Yogasan’, Surya Namaskar, while taking potshots at senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his speech in Parliament during the debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s address in the budget session.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about increasing the number of ‘Surya Namaskar’ for strengthening his back. It would have been good if he could suggest a similar Aasan to unemployed youngsters,” Akhilesh said while speaking to reporters in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh.

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PM Modi’s ‘Surya Namaskar’ was seen as a response to Rahul Gandhi’s reported comments about “youngsters beating up Modi with sticks over the lack of jobs”. Modi said he would increase the number of “Surya Namaskar” so that his back could bear the sticks.

“He (Gandhi) said ‘Modi will be beaten up with sticks in six months’. I can imagine that it is not an easy job, so six months will be needed for preparations, he said, before adding further, “In these six months, I will do more ‘Surya Namaskar’ so that my back is ready for the beating.”

Later that day Rahul Gandhi accused the prime minister of “distracting” from the “real” issue of “unemployment” in his government’s second term. Akhilesh seemed to be raising a similar concern.