National
Journalist fraternity backs arrested journo Vinod Verma, demands evidence from police
New Delhi, Oct 28 (IANS) Senior journalists and former colleagues of Vinod Verma on Saturday expressed solidarity with the arrested journalist and demanded his immediate release. The journalists held a protest meeting at the Press Club of India (PCI) here demanding that Chhattisgarh Police exhibit any evidence against Verma, who was arrested on Friday on charges of extortion after claiming to have a “sex CD” of a BJP Minister.
“Chhattisgarh Police must furnish evidence related to extortion charges against Verma. They must exhibit materials to support its case,” senior journalist Vinod Sharma demanded and said that the arrest of Verma is a warning to media.
Comparing the situation with that of Emergency, senior Hindi journalist Jaishankar Gupta said although the situation is not as bad as Emergency as then there were some laws which prohibited media from publishing, “Now people can be arrested on any charges if they publish anything against the government.”
Om Thanvi, former editor of Jansatta, said that targeting journalists is not a good sign and arresting them under criminal charges is an indication that they might be booked for writing against the government.
Senior journalist Urmilesh criticised the government and said that Verma was targetted as he was member of a fact- finding team of the Editors Guild of India that exposed intimidation of journalists in Chhattisgarh.
He said Verma is not a full-fledged member of the Congress party but he is associated with a public relations company that is managing the work of the Congress in Chhattisgarh.
Verma, an independent journalist, had worked with a leading Hindi newspaper and BBC for several years.
He was arrested in Ghaziabad early on Friday on charges of allegedly blackmailing a BJP Minister in Chhattisgarh. Verma denied the charge and said he was being framed.
–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.