National
EC intentionally delaying Gujarat polls to favour Modi: Congress
New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) The Congress on Monday accused the Election Commission of “intentionally delaying” announcement of Gujarat assembly elections to favour Prime Minister Narendra Modi who, the party said, was afraid of defeat after the Congress’s emphatic win in the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha by-election.
“The EC has intentionally delayed announcement of date(s) for Gujarat elections just to favour Modi, to enable him to make tall, hollow promises to the people of Gujarat,” Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken told reporters after leading a party protest outside the poll panel’s office in central Delhi on the issue.
The Congress leader said the Modi government was afraid of defeat after the Congress party’s thumping victory for the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat in Punjab, where its candidates Sunil Kumar Jakhar won by a margin of over 1.93 lakh votes.
He demanded immediately announcement on dates for the Gujarat assembly elections.
On October 12, the EC announced that Himachal Pradesh assembly elections would be held on November 9 and the results declared on December 18.
The term of the 68-member Himachal assembly ends on January 7, 2018, and of the 182-member Gujarat assembly on January 22, 2018.
Maken also presented a memorandum to Chief Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Joti, wherein the party recalled that the Election Commission had on January 4 announced the election schedule for assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa, and Manipur.
“Consequently, a Model Code of Conduct in all five states was imposed the same day. The EC took a conscious decision to announce the dates of all five states together so as to ensure that the governments in these states do not misuse their position to announce freebies on poll eve.”
Maken said that since 1998, assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat were held together, except in 2002-03 after the Godhra riots in Gujarat.
“We wonder why has the EC deviated from its usual practice and adopted a special approach not to declare date(s) for Gujarat elections along with Himachal Pradesh?” he asked.
“Now, the onus lies on the EC to ensure a level playing field by announcing Gujarat election date(s) and imposing the model code immediately,” he added.
–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.