Chandigarh, June 15 (IANS): Yoga guru Ramdev on Monday said the controversy of linking the 'Surya Namaskar' exercise with a particular religion was baseless.

"Surya Namaskar is an exercise and it has nothing to do with any religion. It cannot be related to the worship of Surya (sun). Some people are in the habit of creating controversy," said Ramdev, who on Monday started his yoga camp in Panchkula town in Haryana near here.

The yoga guru said people all over the world were now understanding the benefits of yoga exercises.

He said the declaration of June 21 as the International Yoga Day will help in the spread of awareness about yoga.

"It is a matter of pride for all of us that out of total 177 countries, which have supported the proposal in the United Nations regarding global celebration of yoga, 47 were Muslim countries.

"Several Muslim organisations are also going to participate in the celebrations of International Yoga Day on June 21," Ramdev said, while trying to de-link the impression that yoga belonged to the Hindu religion.