National
Protesting ex-servicemen, others evicted from Jantar Mantar
New Delhi, Oct 30 (IANS) Ex-servicemen who were protesting at Jantar Mantar since 2015 were on Monday evicted from the spot, police said, while the veterans complained that many of them were manhandled and some also injured.
The action came as police and Municipal Corporation officials evicted a number of protesters from the site after a National Green Tribunal order of October 5 banning protests at Jantar Mantar.
Delhi Police said around 150 people from 32 groups of protesters were evicted from the site to implement the green tribunal’s order, and two companies of police have been deployed at Jantar Mantar to stop protesters from gathering there again.
A group of ex-servicemen have kept on their protest at the site since June 15, 2015 for One Rank One Pension (OROP) even after the government implemented the scheme, stating that the one given by Defence Ministry is flawed and not the OROP that was promised.
Maj Gen Satbir Singh (retd), the advisor to the United Front of Ex-Servicemen and Chairman, Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement, said veterans were forcefully removed and three people, including a woman received injuries in the process.
“We were brutally removed from the site early morning around 7.30 a.m. Police had come with officials of the municipal corporation. They manhandled us and took away our equipment, even though we said we would leave by evening if another place is provided,” Satbir Singh told IANS.A
He added that they were taken to a police station following the eviction and kept there till 4 p.m.
Accusing the government was suppressing their voice, he said that they had not been given appropriate options to continue protest at another site.
“Where is the alternate site for protest? Ramlila ground, they charge Rs 50,000 for a day, and the place does not even have toilets. How are we supposed to protest there,” Satbir Singh asked.
“If the Prime Minister thinks he can suppress our voices, I would appeal to the nation to question why the government is acting in this manner. We protect the borders so that people can sleep in peace. Here ex-soldiers are being manhandled,” he added.
“This is murder of democracy, government wants to suppress our voices. It is the second time they have used force on us. Ex-soldiers being treated like criminals by the police,” he said.
Attempts were earlier made to forcefully evict the retired soldiers from their protest site at Jantar Mantar on August 14, 2015, ahead of Independence Day. However, following criticism, authorities allowed the ex-servicemen to reclaim the site within hours.
Satbir Singh also pointed out that the NGT had given a deadline till November 3 and questioned the evacuation.
The NGT on October 5 had ordered a stop to all protests, public gatherings and use of loudspeakers at Delhi’s designated protest site Jantar Mantar, and asked authorities to remove all makeshift or permanent structures from the area.
The green panel directed all protests should now be held at Ram Leela Maidan in Ajmeri Gate.
–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.