New Delhi, July 2: Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Monday said that no money was spent for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's yoga video for the 'Fitness Challenge' on Twitter. Rathore took a jibe on Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Shashi Tharoor after he shared an article on his twitter account alleging that Rs 35 lakh was spent on shooting the video.

The sports minister took to Twitter to reply to Tharoor’s allegations. He tweeted, "Not surprised Mr @ShashiTharoor, falsehoods is your substitute 4 facts. No money was spent for PM's fitness video. It was recorded by PMO videographer. This article is based on 'solid proof' of hearsay. And I assure you sir, not a single 'lamb' was sacrificed for the video, let alone 35.”

Earlier in the day, the Congress MP shared an article which claimed that the central government had spent Rs 20 crore on advertisements on International Yoga Day.  The article also stated that Rs 35 lakh was spent on the PM ’s yoga video which went viral on social media. Tharoor tweeted, “20 crore rupees in ads for #YogaDay, 35 lambs for @PMOIndia's fitness video! Disgraceful. This government is all about smoke & mirrors. Hype is their substitute for hope -- the hopes they have destroyed.”

Last week, Congress President Rahul Gandhi also took to Twitter to slam PM Modi for his videos in which he was performing yoga after the report of Thomson Reuters Foundation rated India as the most dangerous country for women. Gandhi wrote,  “While our PM tiptoes around his garden making Yoga videos, India leads Afghanistan, Syria & Saudi Arabia in rape & violence against women. What a shame for our country!”

Rathore started the 'Fitness Challenge' on Twitter as part of the 'Hum Fit Toh India Fit' campaign on May 22. After cricketer Virat Kohli’s fitness challenge, the Prime Minister shared a video of him performing yoga on Twitter on June 13.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 02, 2018 08:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).