National
Don’t invite Modi for Marathi literary meet, urge Leftists
Mumbai, Dec 20 (IANS) A group of prominent Leftists under the banner of ‘Govind Pansare Abhivadan Samiti’ has demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not be invited for the annual Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan (ABMSS) in Vadodara in February.
“We appeal to the organising committee that Modi should not be invited in any capacity for the inauguration or the closing ceremonies of the 91st ABMSS scheduled in Vadodara,” the GPAS said in a statement released on Wednesday.
Justifying the call, the GPAS signatories — veteran communist leaders Prakash Reddy, Subodh More and Yogesh Kamble — said under Modi’s tenure as Prime Minister, progressive writers were being attacked and secular people and rationalists were made to face mobocracy.
As a result, many prominent literary figures had returned their prizes or honours while government institutions in cinema, theatre and textbooks were being imposed with ‘Manuvadi’ cadres, they pointed out.
“However, Modi has maintained a stoic silence all along. His economic policies have done injustice to Mumbai and Maharashtra, and his love for Marathi is nowhere to be seen,” the GPAS said.
Hence, they urged the ABMSS to omit Modi’s name for the three-day literary event scheduled on February 16-18 and to be presided over by Pune-based Marathi novelist Laxmikant Deshmukh.
This is the fourth time Vadodara — the former Lok Sabha constituency of Modi – has been selected to host the ABMSS event since its inception in Pune in 1878 under the chairmanship of the legendary Justice M.G. Ranade.
Prior to 2018, the literary meet has been held in the erstwhile royal kingdom of Baroda in 1901 (7th ABMSS), 1921 (11th), and 1934 (20th), while earlier this year, the 90th ABMSS was held in Dombivali in Thane in Maharashtra.
–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.