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Spain begins meeting to decide Catalonia’s autonomy
Madrid, Oct 21 (IANS) The Spanish government on Saturday began a special cabinet meeting to approve measures to take direct control of the semi-autonomous region of Catalonia, the media reported.
At a press conference after the meeting, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced the decision on whether to activate Article 155 of Spain’s 1978 Constitution, a mechanism that strips Catalonia’s self-governing institutions of their autonomy, allowing it to take over running of the region, in response to the region’s recent independence bid.
The government said the application of the article was justified by the “rebellious, systematic and conscious disobedience” shown by the Catalan regional government to its legal obligations and by the fact that its actions were considered to gravely threaten Spain’s general interests, reports Efe news.
Once the measures are approved by the council of ministers, they are to be voted on by the Senate on October 27.
On Friday, Rajoy refused to give any details on what initiatives might be taken or whether his conservative Popular Party had made a deal with any other parties, though the opposition Socialist Party (PSOE) claimed they had agreed that regional elections would be held in Catalonia in January.
He had said that the government was being forced to act in what he described as a critical situation.
However, Rajoy insisted that Article 155 would be a final measure applied only if a situation where legislation was under attack and the rule of law was being eradicated.
“There cannot be areas where the government does not follow the law, because if the government does not follow the law, then how can we ask citizens to do so?” he said.
On October 1, Catalonia held an independence referendum deemed unconstitutional by the Spanish judiciary in which a majority of voters cast their ballots in favour of leaving Spain.
Of the 43 per cent of Catalans said to have taken part, 90 per cent voted in favour of independence. But many anti-independence supporters boycotted the ballot, arguing it was not valid.
On October 10, Catalan President Carles Puigdemont declared independence but immediately suspended it in order to hold talks with Madrid.
The central government asked him to clarify whether he had fully declared independence or not, warning that if the answer was yes, Article 155 would be put in motion.
Puigdemont has argued that the referendum result gave him a mandate to pursue independence.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.