National
88 women have applied for Haj without ‘mehram’: Minister
New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) In less than a week after procedure for Haj 2018 started, 88 women have applied to go on the pilgrimage without a “mehram” or male guardian, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Tuesday.
As per the new Haj policy, women above 45 years of age can go on the pilgrimage without a male guardian in a group of four.
The application process for the Haj 2018 started on November 15.
“So far, 22 groups of women have applied for the Haj under the ‘non-mehram’ category. Of these a maximum of 18 groups are from Kerala, two from Uttar Pradesh and one each from Assam and West Bengal,” the minister said.
“This is just the beginning. We hope many more groups of women will apply as the applications will be open till December 7,” Naqvi said.
“Special arrangements will be made for the safety and security of the women going on Haj without a mehram. We will also take special care for their accommodation,” he added.
Women in several Muslim countries are allowed to perform Haj without a mehram, but India had put restrictions on it as the majority of Muslims in India belong to the ‘Hanafi school of jurisprudence’ that does not allow women to travel alone.
The new Haj policy has removed that restriction on women.
“There is no compulsion for women to travel without a mehram. But if one’s ‘maslak’ (sect) allows it, that woman can now travel to Saudi Arabia to perfrom Haj. We have removed the restriction,” Naqvi explained.
The new Haj policy retains the quota for applicants above 70 years of age, but has done away with preference for the fourth-time applicants.
The names of the persons going for Haj are decided through a lucky draw as the number of applications are many times more than the country’s quota of 1.7 lakh pilgrims.
Naqvi said that his ministry was in talks with the Saudi Arabia authorities to get India’s quota further increased, as also to resume the pilgrimage by ship.
He said that the Haj subsidy will be gradually ended.
–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.