National
Court summons Amit Shah in 2002 riot case to defend convict
Ahmedabad, Sep 12 (IANS) A special trial court here on Tuesday directed BJP President Amit Shah to appear as a witness for Maya Kodnani, a former BJP leader and minister in the then Narendra Modi government in Gujarat in a 2002 riot case in the city where 11 Muslims were killed.
Kodnani is a convict in the biggest massacre on February 28, 2002, when nearly 100 Muslims were massacred in Naroda Patiya, close to Naroda Gam, in Ahmedabad. She was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2012 but is out on bail since 2014.
The special court asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief to appear before it on Monday, either in person or through his lawyer to testify on the alibi of Kodnani that she was not present at the place of the riots.
“The court has issued summons for September 18. The order was passed following a request of Maya Kodnani,” Amit Patel, lawyer of Kodnani, said, pointing out that she was not able to find Shah to issue him the summons.
Kodnani had moved an application before the court in April seeking testimony from the BJP President, who hails from Ahmedabad, as one of her defense witnesses.
She had claimed that his testimony was crucial to prove her claim that when the riots took place, she was with him, about 10 km away from the spot of the crime, first at the Gujarat Assembly and then at the hospital she ran.
After several adjournments, the court had on Monday last granted final deadline to Kodnani to bring Amit Shah to depose before the court on Friday.
The former BJP minister again sought 10 more days stating that she was unable to determine the address where she could serve summons to Amit Shah. However, the court had given time till Tuesday stating that after this, examinations of the defence witnesses would be closed.
The court on Tuesday intervened to issue direct summons to Amit Shah to appear before it.
–IANS
desai/vd
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.