The Shiv Sena on Tuesday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for successfully carrying out yoga celebrations. It said ‘commodifying’ yoga would not harm the ancient practice. Instead, it would increase tourism and generate employment, the party pointed out.
“The Prime Minister says that yoga should not be used as some sort of business. What can we say about it? The PM considers himself a trader. He has said time and again that he is a Gujarati and thus trade is in his blood. If yoga can be marketed across the world, and... increases yoga tourism, nobody should have a problem with it,” the Sena said in an editorial in its mouthpiece ‘Saamna’
Mr. Modi on Sunday > cautioned against “commodifying” yoga , saying using it as some sort of business would do great damage to this world heritage. “If we make yoga a commodity, then maximum damage to it will be done by us. Yoga is not a commodity. Yoga is not a brand, which has to be sold,” he said.
The Sena said, “Yoga tourism will definitely increase the number of people visiting the country and enhanced tourism will generate employment along with increasing our foreign reserves. If we can think of other ‘days’ that are celebrated through the United Nations as a means to do business, why not yoga day.”
The Sena said the kind of response the Yoga Day celebrations evoked only proved that once Mr. Modi resolved to do something, he would do it whole-heartedly.
“Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s The Art of Living had recently started a meditation course for farmers of Vidarbha committing suicide. If other farmers too are taught yoga, their lifestyles will be enhanced. Even people who are addicted to alcohol should be taught yoga, so that they can come out of their addiction and improve their lives,” the editorial noted.
