Silchar: Church leaders in Mizoram have urged Christians not to practice yoga, saying the system of exercises was related to “Hinduism.”

The call from the Christian-majority state in northeastern India came a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the country in celebrating the International Yoga Day.

Reverend R. Lalrinsanga, secretary of the Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee, an umbrella organization of 15 Churches in the state, confirmed the appeal made to Christians not to practice yoga. Some 87 percent of Mizoram’s population is Christian, mostly Presbyterians.

“All of us know that yoga is associated with Hindu philosophy and thus it cannot be accepted. Yoga goes against the teachings and philosophy of Christianity,” Lalrinsanga told The Telegraph.

Mizoram’s ayush department planed to celebrate International Yoga Day in a “grand way” in collaboration with the Assam Rifles.

Asked if the Church was opposed to the Yoga Day celebrations, Rev. Lalrinsanga said: “We are not against the celebration of Yoga Day. We are also not opposing the propagation of yoga by the state government, which is a secular institution. Our request is to the people belonging to Christianity to refrain from practicing yoga.”

He clarified that unlike last year, the Church would not “boycott” Yoga Day but was only issuing an “appeal” to Christians not to do yoga.

“Last year, we had called for a boycott as International Yoga Day had fallen on a Sunday, which is a sacred day in Christianity.”

C. Lallunghnema, chief executive officer at the state ayush department, denied that yoga was a part of Hinduism. He said yoga had been practiced for ages to keep one’s body and mind healthy and lacked any religious connotations.

He said Yoga Day events would be held in almost all the state’s districts. “We are hopeful that people will come out and join the yoga sessions.”

Lalruatkina, general secretary of the Mizo National Front, the main Opposition in the state, said his party was “not against” the Yoga Day celebrations.

State Congress media department secretary David Thangliana, however, said: “Our party has not taken any decision on it and, therefore, I can’t comment on it.”

Mizoram Governor Lt Gen Nirbhay was the chief guest at the program in the state capital of Aizawl that started at 6 am.

The Society for Propagation of Ayurveda, Naturopathy and Yoga (SPANY), which works under the department of ayush and provides physical and stress management training, had organised a month-long yoga training workshop in Aizawl from May 21.

Another yoga workshop was held in Aizawl mid June.

Meanwhile, the prime minister, on June 21 joined millions across the country in bending and stretching for asanas to mark the second International Yoga Day, which he said has become a “jan andolan” or people’s movement since it started last year.

Wearing a white T-shirt and track pants with a scarf, Modi walked around surveying people performing asanas before settling down on a mat and joining them at the Capitol Complex in Chandigarh, some 245 km north of New Delhi.

Urging people to embrace yoga like they have taken to the mobile phone, PM Modi said it “gives us health assurance at zero budget.”

PM Modi also stressed that yoga is “not a religious practice” and should not be dragged into controversy.

The Prime Minister announced two awards for those working to popularize yoga, in India and abroad.

In Delhi, President Pranab Mukherjee made an early start to the Yoga Day with a session at Rashtrapati Bhawan where around 1,000 people took part.

Across the country, 57 ministers – including federal ministers led sessions. Home Minister Rajnath Singh braved the rain in Lucknow, capital of Uttar Pradesh state, as he led a yoga event.

Ahead of the big day, multiple preparatory events were held across the US, UK and Australia. Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj says the International Yoga Day was celebrated in 191 countries.

The United Nations headquarters were illuminated June 20 with striking images of yoga postures while hundreds gathered at Times Square in New York City to practice yoga.

Functions across the world were held for the first time last year after June 21 was named the International Yoga Day by the United Nations. The resolution, proposed by PM Modi, was adopted by 177 nations without a vote.