Fit India Movement should become peoples' movement: Speaker Om Birla

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday called upon to make "Fit India Movement" a peoples' movement and the fittest MPs to ensure that each of their constituencies become the fittest.

Birla was speaking to reporters after starting the Fit India Movement in the Parliament House in the presence of several Union Ministers including Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Kiren Rijiju, Anurag Thakur, MPs and other dignitaries.

"Yoga had already become a part of people's routine all over the world since the International Day of Yoga was started on the initiative of India. Now, Fit India Movement should become a peoples' movement and that the message should go out that India is a fittest nation," he said.

He urged the MPs to ensure that each of their constituencies becomes the fittest and called for a healthy competition among them in order to ensure the same.

Birla also called upon the MPs and the employees of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Secretariats to incorporate a healthy lifestyle that comprises of regular exercise, adequate rest and balanced diet along with efforts to reduce stress, so as to improve their performance and efficiency.

"It is only with the fitness that we can fulfil our duties and responsibilities with dedication. Without adequate fitness we won't be able to reach our full potential and take the nation on the path to prosperity and fulfilment," he said.

The Speaker, earlier, led the participants for a walk around the Parliament House. Thereafter, the instructors briefed the participants about freehand exercises and yoga.

He also administered the Fit India oath to the participants.

Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju, who participated at the event, said that Parliament gives a message that only a healthy nation can become a strong nation.

"We can remain fit by including simple changes in our lifestyle. Exercise rejuvenates our lives which not only makes us healthy but also leads towards the holistic development of the country," he said.

He said that disease snatches the comfort from families which makes it necessary that "we collectively work for a fit and healthy nation."

Conceived and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of National Sports Day on August 29, Fit India Movement pays tribute to one of India's greatest sports persons Major Dhyanchand.

( With inputs from ANI )