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HC rejects plea seeking ban on coins with religious symbols

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New Delhi, Jan 11 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Thursday rejected a plea seeking a ban on issue of coins with religious symbols embossed on them, saying it does not hamper the “secular fabric” of the country.

Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar, while dismissing a petition questioning the issue of Rs 5 denomination coins with the embossed image of Mata Vaishno Devi, said the government had the power to issue such coins under the Coinage Act.

Issuing coins with the image of Mata Vaishno Devi to commemorate the occasion of the silver jubilee of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board was “not a dent on secular fabric” of the country, said the bench.

After the advocate appearing for the petitioner Nafis Qazi said secular democratic credentials of the governance were damaged when the government issues currency with religious symbols, the court said: “Secularism doesn’t say you will never issue coins to commemorate for any event.

“Secularism is not that they (government and RBI) will not commemorate event of any religion. Tomorrow, they may want to commemorate Muslim or Sikh events… They have the power,” said the bench.

The court also said there was “no act of favouritism and discrimination” by the government in directing minting of coins to commemorate an event.

The order came on a PIL filed by Qazi against the Finance Ministry and the Reserve Bank of India saying the government, by bringing out coins at regular intervals with religious symbols such as figures of a deity or temple embossed on them, was indulging in anti-secular actions.

“These symbols undermine the secular character, a basic feature of the Constitution,” the advocate said.

The plea said the government came out with similar coins in 2010 and 2013 and these should be withdrawn.

–IANS
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Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok

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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.

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