National
PM must sack senior ministers for conflict of interest: Congress (Lead)
New Delhi, Nov 4 (IANS) The Congress on Saturday sought to know from Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he will dismiss some of his senior ministers for allegedly holding the posts of directors in India Foundation, a think-tank run by NSA Ajit Doval’s son Shaurya Doval.
The party also demanded that the Prime Minister should act against them by initiating an inquiry by the CBI against them for allegedly holding office-of-profit, conflict of interest and violating FCRA norms.
The ministers in question include Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu and two junior ministers — Jayant Sinha of Civil Aviation Ministry and M.J. Akbar of External Affairs Ministry.
The party also said the ministers should resign as members of whichever House of they belong to and fight elections again. It also questioned the Prime Minister’s silence on the matter.
The attack by the Congress came after The Wire news website published an article on the issue.
The party alleged that BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav and A. Surya Prakash, Chairman of the Prasar Bharti board, are also directors of India Foundation and investigation should be initiated against them as well.
“FCRA says that no foreign contribution shall be accepted by any political party or office bearer. Ram Madhavji is an office- bearer and he is a general secretary of the BJP, how can he be a director in India Foundation?
“It is a violation. It will result in prosecution and imprisonment. How can these ministers be directors? This is a direct conflict of interest,” said senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal.
Sibal said if no action was taken against the ministers, then the party would approach the court or could resort to other possible mechanisms to prosecute them.
The Congress also pointed out that in March 2006, party President Sonia Gandhi announced her resignation from the Lok Sabha and also as Chairperson of the National Advisory Council following the office-of-profit controversy.
“Nothing can be a bigger case of crony capitalism, violation of law and corruption than this. Can a minister become director of an NGO,” asked Sibal.
“It is a cocktail of government, who are directors in the foundation, and private business of billions of dollars and sponsorship by the very companies who seek favours from the departments in which the ministers are directors,” he added.
“So, it is Civil Aviation, Commerce, Defence and External Affairs. Over and above, this is supposed to be a charitable organisation — a public interest organisation.
“How can there be public interest when government and business are on the same platform and they are talking to each other for the benefit of business?” Sibal asked.
Sibal also said had any Congress minister during UPA rule been the director of Teesta Setalvad or Indira Jaisingh’s NGO, then there would have been disruptions in the Parliament, FIR by the CBI and preliminary investigations.
He said: “Doval’s son used to run a company named Zeus, whose turnover was close to $1billion. This company was later absorbed into Gemini Enterprises. He (Shaurya) is now a partner and shareholder in the company. So, he runs both India Foundation and Gemini Enterprises.”
“This cocktail of interests has never been seen before in this country. The mix of the ministers along with business and public interest,” said Sibal.
He further said: “Now, who sponsors them? Defence companies…Boeing, Israeli companies. So, Defence Minister is the director. There are Indian companies who have to deal with Commerce Ministry. So, Commerce Minister is the director.
“Now, since Boeing is involved, so Civil Aviation Minister is the director. Since foreign companies deal with Ministry of External Affairs, so the External Affairs Minister is the director. Along with them both India Foundation and Gemini Enterprises are also there,” he added.
–IANS
sid/nir
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.
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
Cheers and Cheers: Barzilla’s Joyful Ode to Inclusivity and Celebration
Casino Days Reveal Internal Data on Most Popular Smartphones
Meghalaya Reserves Legalized Gambling and Sports Betting for Tourists
IPL 20202 UPDATE: KXIP vs MI IPL Dream11 Team Prediction for Today Match, Update Point Table of all Team.
In a Live debate AAP leader Syed Asad Abbas hurls abuses to BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.
‘India’s Most Wanted’ trailer out Arjun Kapoor on hunt of Osama-Bin-Laden
Time to move on: Sonakshi on Shatrughan’s joining Congress
