National
Vijayan goes slow on action against ‘tainted’ Kerala minister
Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 6 (IANS) The CPI-M state secretariat meeting held here on Monday to discuss charges of usurping government land against state Transport Minister Thomas Chandy and suitable action against him turned out to be a damp squib, as it decided to wait for legal opinion.
There was speculation that the secretariat, which Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is also part of, might consider sending out a clear signal that Chandy’s continuance as a minister would be difficult, as the report of the district authorities clearly says that Chandy’s plush resort in the backwaters of Alappuzha violates the norms.
Even though another CPI-M meeting was scheduled to take place later in the day, the Chandy issue was unlikely to be raised there as Vijayan would not be present. He is leaving for Madurai to attend a party meeting there.
According to a party source, in the secretariat meeting the Chandy issue was only taken up briefly and it was decided to await legal opinion sought in the matter. Besides, with the Left Democratic Front liaison committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday, the issue would again be discussed there and legal opinion sought.
Ahead of Monday’s meeting, details of the report prepared by Alappuzha District Collector T.V. Anupama surfaced in the media, which suggested that the allegations of violations by Chandy’s resort were true.
While Vijayan continues to have a soft corner for Chandy, the CPI is in an aggressive mood as state Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekheran and his party’s state secretary Kanam Rajendran feel that the image of the Left government has taken a severe beating on this issue and therefore, appropriate action should be taken.
But Vijayan and the CPI-M would prefer to buy time until November 9 when the Kerala Assembly is having a special one-day sitting to table the Solar Judicial Commission probe report that indicts former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and several senior leaders of the Congress party.
Vijayan feels that once the report is tabled, the media will go after the “spicy” solar scam report running into over 1,700 pages.
The scam probe report talks about the manner in which Saritha Nair and her then live-in partner started a business that involved setting up solar panels and later alleged that she was sexually exploited by these Congress leaders.
Vijayan and the CPI-M expect that using the solar report, the allegations against the minister can be deflected by keeping the Congress-led opposition silent.
–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.