Thousands of people, including those from outside Delhi, were disappointed as they were not allowed to enter the venue for yoga at Rajpath on Sunday. They were not carrying passes which were mandatory to get the entry. Some of them vent their anger at security personnel at entry point and said they should have been informed about any such passes prior to the event. However, a few performed yoga outside the venue.
The Ayush Ministry had invited around 35,000 people, including 5,000 children, same number of armed police force, 4,000 ministry officials, 500 VIPs and 400 diplomats to perform yoga at Rajpath. As many 14,000 people were invited from different yoga institutes across the country. They all were issued entry passes by their respective organisations stamped by the Ministry. Officials told The Pioneer that there were arrangements for people without invitation and separate enclosure were made for them but it got full soon.
“This was a huge event. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called us but we were never told that official tickets will be required for participation,” said 44-year-old Sundaram, who came all the way from Tamil Nadu. He told The Pioneer: “I was so excited when I reached here at 5 am but I was told to go to the entry gate number 17 which was too far from gate 10, but when I reached there, I was stopped at the gate.”
Rajini (25), who came along with her younger sister and mother from Faridabad to participate in yoga at Rajpath, said: “There was no arrangement for us, who are without passes. I don’t know what to do now but will sit on road and do yoga, now.”
“I came here at 4.30 am along with my four friends. We were told to go gate number 17 but there also only those persons were allowed to enter who were carrying passes. I saw a group of people entering, with one person in them carrying pass. But we could not,” said Prashant Kumar (32), who runs a medicine business at Paschim Vihar in West Delhi.
Hundreds of people performed yoga in parks and lawns near the venue, which were not used for the event. Some were agitated and kept asking the security personnel deployed at entry points to allow them to participate in the event which was held for just 35 minutes.