National
56% polling in Gurdaspur LS bypoll (Second Lead)
Chandigarh, Oct 11 (IANS) A total of 56 per cent of registered voters exercised their franchise on Wednesday in the by-election to the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency, election officials said.
Punjab Chief Electoral Officer V.K. Singh said the bypoll process was peaceful amid tight security.
Minor clashes were reported between Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiromani Akali Dal workers in some villages, in which five to six persons were injured.
Nearly 15.22 lakh voters were eligible to vote to decide the fate of 11 candidates, including BJP’s Swarn Salaria, Congress’ Sunil Kumar Jakhar and Aam Aadmi Party’s retired Major General Suresh Kumar Khajuria.
The Congress, fresh from its emphatic win in the February 4 assembly elections, is set to give a close fight to the BJP, which is trying to retain the seat.
The Lok Sabha constituency has nine assembly seats, of which the Congress won seven in the assembly polls. One seat each went to the SAD and the BJP.
The AAP, the main opposition party in the Punjab Assembly, could play a spoiler for both the BJP and the Congress. The result will be announced on October 15.
The Lok Sabha seat fell vacant in April following the passing away of veteran actor and Gurdaspur MP Vinod Khanna due to cancer.
Gurdaspur is the first parliamentary constituency in the country where all polling stations used Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail machines which help the voters confirm in whose favour they cast their votes.
–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.