KP Sharma Oli gets it wrong again, claims 'Yoga originated in Nepal, not India'

Kathmandu, June 22: In yet another controversial statement, Nepal caretaker Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has claimed that Yoga originated in Nepal and not in India.

"Yoga originated in Nepal, not in India. At the time when Yoga came into existence, there was no existence of India; it was divided into factions," news agency ANI reported.

"India that exists now wasn't there in the past. India was like a continent or a sub-continent," reported ANI. He also also claimed that Indian experts have been hiding this fact.

Amid the raging pandemic, Yoga has played a pivotal role in everyone's life, as it can help reduce stress levels, build immunity, increase awareness, and strong physical and mental health of the body overall.

The draft resolution establishing the International Day of Yoga was proposed by India and endorsed by a record 175 member states.

"Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition. Yoga embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action ... a holistic approach [that] is valuable to our health and our well-being. Yoga is not just about exercise; it is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature," PM Modi said in his address at the opening of the 69th session of the General Assembly.

On June 15, 2015 - the first International Day of Yoga was globally observed.

This is not the first time that Oli has made such controversial remarks. He had earlier, that the "real" Ayodhya lies in Nepal, not in India and that Lord Ram was born in Thori in southern Nepal.

In India there is great dispute on Ayodhya. But, there is no dispute in our Ayodhya," Prime Minister Oli was quoted as saying by his press advisor Surya Thapa.

"Valmiki Ashram is also in Nepal and the holy place where King Dasharath had executed the rites to get the son is in Ridi, which is in Nepal," he said. As Dasharath was the ruler of Nepal, it is natural that his son Ram was also born in Nepal, Oli argued.

Therefore, real Ayodhya lies in Nepal, he claimed. Many scientific inventions and knowledge originated in Nepal, but unfortunately such a rich tradition could not continue later, Oli said.