The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accomplished what many considered a "mission impossible" by winning the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections and forming the government in the state. Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kolkata on the occasion of International Yoga Day sends a significant message to the people of West Bengal: the state is the jewel in the BJP's crown. Notably, this is Modi's first visit to the state since the BJP government was sworn in on May 9.
On Saturday, the Prime Minister visited Tarakeshwar in Hooghly district to attend the Paschim Banga Diwas, or West Bengal Foundation Day, celebrations. During his address, he highlighted West Bengal as the land of spiritual stalwarts such as Ramakrishna Paramahansa and credited Swami Vivekananda with spreading awareness about yoga across the world. The emphasis was on portraying West Bengal as a state of immense cultural, spiritual, and historical significance.
“Rabindranath Tagore’s thought was that a man’s identity is not about staying alone, but about staying together. That is the importance of yoga,” Modi said on Sunday morning as he participated in the Yoga Day celebrations at Kolkata's Red Road.
The venue was resplendent with saffron yoga mats laid across the carpeted road, while thousands of participants dressed in white T-shirts and black track pants created a picture-perfect scene. People listened intently to the prime minister's speech before participating in a series of basic yoga asanas. Dressed in an all-white attire complemented by a saffron stole, Modi later walked to the centre of the gathering and performed the asanas alongside fellow participants, while instructors on the stage guided the crowd through the exercises.
Later, the prime minister was seen walking among the people and assisting some enthusiasts as they performed yoga asanas and pranayams.
Modi's speech stressed the importance of yoga in leading a healthy life, in keeping with this year's theme, "Yoga for Healthy Ageing". He emphasised the need to remain energetic at every stage of life and to build resilience against lifestyle-related diseases even in one's 70s.
“Age does not reduce human potential,” said Modi.
In September 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed the idea of observing International Yoga Day on June 21 during his address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The UNGA accepted the proposal. From June 21, 2015 onwards, International Yoga Day celebrations began with the theme “Yoga for Peace and Harmony”, reflecting the government’s emphasis on promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of AYUSH was formed in November 2014 to promote the development and education of traditional healthcare systems such as yoga, homoeopathy, and Unani medicine.
