RaGa, Other Oppn Leaders Criticise Modi for Fitness Challenge

Prime Minister Modi had accepted the fitness challenge thrown his way by Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs yoga along with other participants during a mass yoga session on the International Day of Yoga 2015 at Rajpath in New Delhi. 

(Photo: PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s declaration on accepting Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli’s fitness challenge on the morning of Thursday, 24 May, has got him flak from the Opposition parties.

Modi had been tagged by Kohli, among others, to accept the challenge, which is a part of the #HumFitTohIndiaFit campaign that promotes fitness in India.

According to the challenge, the tagged person has to post a video of themselves doing any sort of workout like push-ups, yoga, cycling etc, and add the hashtag #HumFitTohIndiaFit.

Others who have taken up the challenge are Union Sports Minister Rajyavarshan Singh Rathore, actor Hrithik Roshan and badminton player PV Sindhu.

Modi, the latest to join the bandwagon, received criticism from several leaders from the Opposition, who called him out for choosing to focus on a fitness challenge over the political tensions in the country. 

In a tweet, Congress President Rahul Gandhi said:

Tejashwi Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and son of party chief Lalu Yadav, also asked the prime minister to focus on issues such as communal tensions and relief to farmers.

In a series of tweets, Congress MLA Randeep Singh Surjewala asked Modi to focus on issues plaguing the nation such as hiked petrol-prices, rising unemployment levels – especially among the youth, the condition of farmers, anti-corruption bills and more.

The challenge was started with a tweet by Rathore, wherein he posted a video doing multiple push-ups. He then passed on the #FitnessChallenge to Kohli, Saina Nehwal and Roshan.

(This is a developing copy and will be updated with more reactions)