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Yuga programme should not be mandatory, saids India congress

Xinhua, June 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

India's Congress on Monday criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the programme on the International Yoga Day, saying participation in yoga events should not be made mandatory by the government.

Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza compared the campaign for the Yuga Day by the government on June 21 to publicity by Nestle India to its noodle product Maggi, which has been banned by the government recently for safety problems.

"A yoga day has been declared. The way it is being publicized, it is the same as Nestle had attempted to publicize Maggi," said the spokesperson.

"It should be left to every community and every individual. We are seeing that the government is somewhere acting in arbitrary way. Somewhere, a dictatorial attitude is visible," she added.

Nestle said last week it was withdrawing Maggi instant noodles in India.

The Indian government is widely promoting the International Yuga Day across the nation.

Indian Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj will address a press conference Tuesday on the event to the international media based in Delhi. Endi