NEW DELHI, May 9:
Yoga guru Ramdev, who had declined Padma Vibhushan award, today said that a lot of lobbying takes place behind the selection of Padma and even Nobel prize awardees and those with political influence succeed.
“The entire world knows that all these awards like Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan or Padma Vibhushan and even Nobel prize are given to good people also, but there is intense lobbying and those having more political influence succeed in getting them,” the Yoga guru said here.
He was speaking on the sidelines of an event organised by ASSOCHAM to spread awareness about yoga ahead of the first International Yoga Day which will be observed across the world on June 21.
Ramdev was tipped to receive Padma award this year but he wrote to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh declining the honour, saying he was a ‘sanyasi’ (ascetic) and considered it his duty to serve the people and the country.
Speaking about the benefits of yoga, he told the gathering that 50 per cent of people in India are forced into debts and mortgage their assets to avail treatment for various diseases.
“Diseases cannot be eliminated through medicines, rather it is the individual who is eliminated. About 50 per cent of people in India are forced into debts and mortgage their assets to avail treatment for various diseases. (PTI)
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