Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (DC)
Bengaluru, Jun 15: The fitness challenge started by union minister Rajyavardhan Rathore has been creating lot of buzz across India with several bigwigs taking up the challenge and passing it on to others.
Last month Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli had challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The PM who accepted Kohli's challenge posted a video on Twitter and passed on the challenge to Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy. But Modi's challenge to Kumaraswamy, who recently had a major heart surgery, did not go down well with latter's supporters.
The supporters claimed that instead of inviting Kumaraswamy to do tough physical exercises, the PM should have challenged his only active predecessor and father of Kumaraswamy, former PM H D Deve Gowda who is a right man to take up the challenge.
Even at 86, Gowda who is a seven-time MLA and seven-time MP does regular exercises under his trainer Karthik in his full-fledged gym at his house in Bengaluru everyday putting even a youngster to shame. He spends more time on treadmill, dumbbells, weightlifting and other equipments at the gym along with his trainer.
When asked about his fitness, News18 quoted Deve Gowda saying, "I eat less. I don't drink, I don't smoke. I eat only simple vegetarian food. I sleep less. Get up early and I have no greed. I have been exercising for decades and there is nothing special in it. I am fit due to frugal eating and disciplined lifestyle in mid-80s,"
Speaking about Deve Gowda and his fitness, his trainer said, "He has tremendous energy and dedication even at 86. It is an honour to assist the former PM in physical exercises." However, Deve Gowda did not comment on PM Modi's fitness challenge.
Taking to Twitter, Modi on Wednesday June 13 posted the video showing him meditating, walking on a track inspired by five elements of nature, and doing yoga exercises. He then passed on the fitness challenge to Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, table tennis player Manika Batra and IPS officers. Kumaraswamy responded to the challenge without out rightly accepting it and said that he was more concerned about development fitness of Karnataka.
JD(S) Secretary General Danish Ali too said that Modi should have challenged father Gowda instead of son Kumaraswamy who is still recuperating from a major surgery and the challenge was distasteful.