National
Punjab Minister recommended action against officer, file pending with CM
Chandigarh, Jan 9 (IANS) Punjab Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu had recommended a probe and action against a senior bureaucrat accused of selling antique artefacts, but Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s office has not initiated any action in the matter.
An official spokesman claimed that Sidhu had taken “prompt action” by recommending a CBI probe against Cultural Affairs and Tourism Department’s former Director Navjot Pal Singh Randhawa to the Chief Minister.
The spokesman, quoting Sidhu, said on Tuesday that the Minister had written to the Chief Minister on September 1 last year for a CBI probe against Randhawa.
“Sidhu wrote to the Chief Minister to demand a CBI probe against Randhawa. A copy of the letter was also sent to the Punjab Vigilance Bureau Director, CBI Director and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Mumbai Zonal Unit,” the spokesman said.
“In the letter dated September 1, 2017, it was written that a letter from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, addressed to the Punjab Chief Secretary, mentioned that Randhawa in connivance with Vijay Nanda sold antique artefacts from Punjab in the international market,” the spokesman said.
“This officer remained in the department for a long period. So, a thorough probe is needed to know how many antique artefacts were sent out of Punjab. This is a serious matter. Since the sale of antiques comes under Central Bureau of Investigation’s jurisdiction, the matter should be probed by the central agency,” the spokesman added.
Sidhu’s reaction came following media reports that the Punjab government had failed to take action against Randhawa, a Punjab Civil Services officer, despite the DRI letter to the Chief Secretary.
The DRI, in its investigation regarding smuggling and illegal sale of artefacts from India to other countries, had accused Randhawa of providing rare artefacts to Nanda, a Mumbai-based antiques dealer. These artefacts of significant historical importance were sold abroad for millions of rupees.
–IANS
js/tsb/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.