National
Dry law in Gujarat only in name, admits former CM Anandiben Patel
Ahmedabad, Sep 21 (IANS) Former Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on Thursday admitted it was a reality that liquor was being consumed in the state despite a dry law in place.
Patel, who was the state’s first woman Chief Minister, was exhorting wives of constructions workers at a public function to give up drinking and indicated that liquor was indeed available in Gujarat.
“Don’t your husbands drink? What do they drink,” the former school principal known for her no-nonsense demeanour, asked women construction workers at an event organised by Baandhkaam Shramyogi Kalyan Board (Construction Workers Welfare Board).
“The Welfare Board must have carried out several surveys for benefit of the workers but I would request that a survey should be done to find out how many people (construction workers) consume alcohol. This is important to know since workers lose major part of their earnings because of alcohol addiction. Lives of many workers were being wasted by drinking,” she lamented.
Patel was speaking at a ‘Seva saptah’ (Service Week) organised to distribute assistance of Rs 50 lakh for health, education and security of women construction workers. The event was held to commemorate birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and end of the year-long celebrations to observe the birth centenary of Pandit DeenDayal Upadhyay.
Gujarat not only has a prohibition policy ever since its formation in 1960, but the state government also had made the prohibition policy tougher by making provisions for 10 years in jail and financial penalty of Rs 5 lakh for sale and purchase of liquor.
The Gujarat High Court had in April observed that the state’s prohibition policy had failed to yield “positive results”, adding that either it was not effective or there were loopholes in its implementation.
Meanwhile, while the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party sought to avoid any comments, the Congress lapped it up calling it the “biggest failure of BJP.”
State Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi asserted: “She is not just a former chief minister but a very senior BJP leader. Her observations prove that prohibition in (Mahatma) Gandhi and Sardar’s (Vallabhbhai Patel) Gujarat is only on paper and points to what we have been saying about the Home Department being the den for alcohol distribution.”
–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.