New Delhi, 21 June (H.S.):

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Sunday participated in a yoga session with Members of Parliament in the Parliament House complex to mark the 12th International Day of Yoga. Extending his greetings on the occasion, he said that healthy citizens constitute the greatest asset of a strong democracy and emphasised that while differences of opinion are natural in Parliament, yoga teaches the values of dialogue, restraint and balance.

Congratulating the nation on International Day of Yoga, Birla described the occasion as a celebration of India's timeless civilisational heritage, which has provided humanity with the path to health, harmony and inner peace. He said yoga not only strengthens the body but also brings balance to human thought and promotes mental tranquillity, patience and emotional stability.

The Lok Sabha Speaker said yoga is not merely India's soft power but India's responsibility towards humanity. He observed that democracy thrives on dialogue, and meaningful dialogue is possible only when the mind remains calm and balanced—a quality that yoga helps cultivate.

Highlighting the significance of yoga, Birla said India's sages and seers devoted centuries to preserving the yogic tradition and established it as a complete way of life. Its purpose, he said, has always been to promote physical well-being, mental peace and the awakening of human consciousness. Today, yoga has evolved into a global mass movement embraced across the world, while remaining a priceless gift of India's ancient knowledge tradition.

Speaking about the relevance of yoga in contemporary life, Birla noted that modern society is increasingly affected by stress, imbalance and uncertainty. In such circumstances, yoga serves as an effective means of maintaining mental peace, emotional balance, patience and a disciplined lifestyle. He described mental stress as one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century and said yoga offers an accessible, scientific and inclusive solution.

He further observed that the digital generation, in particular, must adopt yoga as a way of life to maintain a healthy balance between increasing screen time and mounting stress.

Birla said yoga is not simply a fitness programme but a powerful instrument for the development of personality, character and human consciousness. By incorporating yoga into daily life, individuals become more balanced, improve their decision-making abilities and enhance their overall health.

He emphasised that healthy citizens are the greatest strength of a vibrant democracy and said that if all 1.4 billion Indians devote even a few minutes every day to yoga, it could become the country's largest public health movement.

Calling for greater public participation, the Lok Sabha Speaker said the message of yoga should reach every corner of the country. As elected representatives remain in constant contact with society, they can play an important role in encouraging people to adopt yoga and understand its transformative power.

He said that just as continuous efforts are made to strengthen democracy, similar efforts should be undertaken to make yoga an integral part of every citizen's life. Reiterating that yoga is not merely India's soft power but its responsibility towards humanity, Birla urged all citizens to treat yoga not as a one-day celebration but as a commitment for all 365 days of the year, thereby strengthening a culture of health, harmony and self-discipline through regular practice.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar