National
Opposition cries foul during Punjab municipal polls (Lead)
Chandigarh, Dec 17 (IANS) The opposition Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP accused the ruling Congress of booth capturing and misuse of power as voting was held on Sunday for municipal bodies across Punjab.
Minor clashes between Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party workers and those of the Congress were reported from Patiala city and a few other places.
In Patiala, the hometown of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, police cane charged supporters of both the SAD-BJP and the Congress as the situation turned violent.
Akali Dal and BJP leaders held a protest outside the office of the State Election Commission in Chandigarh on Sunday afternoon and accused the Congress of rigging the municipal polls.
“We have not seen such murder of democracy as what happened today (Sunday),” Akali Dal leader and former Minister Daljit Singh Cheema told the media in Chandigarh.
Polling began at 8 a.m. and continued till 4 p.m. State Election Commission officials said the counting of votes was scheduled to begin around 5.30 p.m. and the results were expected after a few hours.
Nearly 45 per cent voting was reported from various places till 3 p.m., election officials said.
Voting was held for three Municipal Corporations in Amritsar, Jalandhar and Patiala, and 29 municipal councils and Nagar Panchayats.
The election for MC in Punjab’s largest city Ludhiana was not held as the electoral rolls were not updated.
Candidates in 90 wards have won unopposed. There were 873 polling stations and 1,938 polling booths across the state.
This is the first big election in the state after the Congress government, led by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, came to power after the Punjab assembly polls in February. The results were out in March.
The Congress won 77 of the 117 assembly seats. The AAP finished second with 20 seats.
–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.