National
Felt lonely in Delhi due to self-imposed isolation from arms dealers, agents: Parrikar
Panaji, Sep 7 (IANS) Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday claimed he felt “lonely” during his stint as Defence Minister as in Delhi, “one cannot figure out who is an arms dealer or an agent”.
Parrikar also said that he did not “run away” from Delhi, but called his return to his home state as a fortuitous development.
About his time in Delhi, Parrikar said, that he felt lonely in the national capital and could not make friends because of the limitations which the job of a Defence Minister comes with.
“…the ministry was such that I could not create a friends circle. Because one cannot figure out who is an arms dealer and who is an agent. That is why staying away was better. Therefore I felt alone, by myself,” Parrikar said at a media award function here.
Parrikar was inducted as Defence Minister in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government in November 2014, but was rushed back to state politics to head a BJP-led coalition government earlier this year.
He also said that Delhi’s air pollution took a toll on his health, which had begun to recover after his return to Goa.
“According to me, it was extremely polluted atmosphere. The air quality is so poor, that it has to impact your health. People used to tell me take care of my health, the number of people telling me this, has gone down now. In the last five-six months, my health has improved,” Parrikar said.
“To speak the truth, it did impact my health. People wear woollens there. I am not used to wear woollens, I used to step out without them. Everyone used to say, you will have problems, but I could not wear a thick coat,” he also said.
Asked if he eventually “ran away” from the national capital, Parrikar said: “I didn’t run away. As I told you, I got an opportunity to come back to Goa because, those (MLAs) who were elected from smaller parties here, told (Union Minister Nitin) Gadkari that we will sign (letter of support) if Parrikar comes here”.
–IANS
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National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
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.