National
BSP open to alliances if given respectable share: Mayawati
Lucknow, Nov 16 (IANS) BSP supremo Mayawati on Thursday said she is not averse to electoral tie-ups with like-minded parties to stop the juggernaut of the “BJP and other communal forces”, but the BSP will do so only if it is given a “respectable share”.
In Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, the Congress party, she claimed, was not even ready to part with some of the seats it has traditionally been losing. “Under this mindset, no forward movement can take place on alliance issues.”
The Dalit leader informed that although her close aide Satish Chandra Mishra and political advisor to Congress President Ahmad Patel held meetings for seat sharing in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, nothing concrete emerged, forcing the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to abandon the efforts.
“Situation is such that now Mishra has even stopped mulling any such alliance efforts,” she said, adding that while in Gujarat the Congress had offered to give 25 of its lost seats of the total 182, in Himachal Pradesh, 10 of the seats it lost of the total 68.
“Our experiences of alliances with the Congress in Uttar Pradesh in 1996 and with the Samajwadi party (SP) in 1993 were also not very good,” she added, explaining her party’s reluctance to engaging with opposition unity efforts.
She also accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using muscle and money power against its candidates in the forthcoming urban body polls.
At a meeting of BSP leaders to review the party’s preparedness for the polls, Mayawati forewarned her party candidates to be wary of the “machinations of the BJP” and not to “fall prey to their tricks”.
The BSP is contesting the urban body polls for the first time in the state on its own symbol. It had so far given support to independent contestants in the past.
Mayawati also alleged that of late, the BJP was trying to spread a rumour that she was trying to push her brother and nephew into politics and that the next generations were in the pipeline to take over the party leadership.
–IANS
md/nir/dg
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.