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Bengal hills tense after GJM infighting over shutdown withdrawal (Lead)

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Darjeeling, Aug 31 (IANS) The situation in the north Bengal hills turned volatile on Thursday following infighting within the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) — spearheading the agitation for a separate Gorkhaland state — over the issue of temporary withdrawal of the ongoing indefinite shutdown.

Informed sources said while a faction of the GJM announced that the ongoing indefinite shutdown would be withdrawn for 12 days, the top brass of the party vehemently rejected the decision, saying the “bandh (shutdown) will continue”.

GJM Joint Secretary Binay Tamang, who convened a party’s central committee meeting in Darjeeling district’s Kurseong, announced the shutdown in the hills would be withdrawn from September 1 to September 12.

Expressing happiness at the “good news”, state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said: “We all want return of peace in the hills.”

Tamang’s move came two days after holding talks with Banerjee during an all-party meet called by her in Kolkata over the deadlock in the hills.

“The second phase of all-party meeting will be held on September 12. So, we have decided to withdraw the strike (shutdown) from September 1 to 12 in the hills. The strike will be lifted from 6.00 a.m. tomorrow (Friday),” Tamang told reporters after the central committee meeting.

However, denying any such move, Morcha General Secretary Roshan Giri claimed the shutdown would continue and said party chief Bimal Gurung had not taken any decision to withdraw it.

“Bimal Gurung said the shutdown has not been withdrawn,” Giri said in a message.

“The shutdown is going to continue. We will decide later whether the party would participate in the state government-sponsored all-party meeting on September 12. The news about withdrawing the shutdown is incorrect,” Giri claimed.

An angry Giri said Tamang had been sacked from the GJM Chief Coordinator’s post. “The party will take a decision to oust Tamang (and his close associate) Anit Thapa tomorrow (Friday) at party’s central committee meeting.”

After the differences within the main hill party came to the fore, a section of the GJM activists, unhappy with the decision to call off the shutdown, began a protest and laid siege to Tamang’s house.

Slogans like “We want Gorkhaland” and “Binay Tamang murdabad” were raised by the protestors.

Terming the current situation in the hills as volatile, Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) spokesperson Neeraj Zimba said the crack within the GJM was now out in the open.

“Situation in the hills is tense, it has become volatile now as a section of people started protesting and gheraoed Binay Tamang’s house as he announced withdrawal of the indefinite shutdown from September 1 to 12. Later, Roshan Giri and Bimal Gurung issued a statement saying the shutdown would continue. GJM is now a divided house,” Zimba said.

He said the GNLF would soon call a central committee meeting to assess the situation.

–IANS
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Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok

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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.

The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.

Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.

Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.

For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.

During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.

Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.

Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .

Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.

In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.

In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.

He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.

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