National
It’s better people who rock the boat leave, says Congress’ Kerala leader
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 12 (IANS) With the Janata Dal-United’s Kerala unit parting ways with the opposition UDF and returning to the ruling LDF’s fold, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Friday said it was better that people who rocked the boat left.
“The JD-U state unit decision to leave the UDF will have no impact. It is similar to rocking the boat one is travelling in. Hence, it’s better they leave and the UDF will go forward without any issues,” said Chennithala, Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, soon after JD-U state unit chief Veerendra Kumar announced his decision.
His remarks came a day after the Communist Party of India-Marxist, leading the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala, welcomed JD-U’s state unit in its fold after it parted ways with the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF).
The decision to part ways was announced by JD-U leader M.P. Veerendra Kumar earlier in the day, maintaining that they will now commence talks with the Left.
The JD-U leader said that he will work in tandem with former Union Minister and former JD-U national President Sharad Yadav at the national level.
State Congress President M.M. Hassan said Veerendra Kumar had committed “political treachery” by leaving the UDF.
Kumar left the LDF in 2009 after he was denied an opportunity to contest from his Lok Sabha constituency of Kozhikode and joined the UDF. He lost the 2014 Lok Sabha election in Palakkad by a massive margin to CPI-M’s M.B. Rajesh.
The UDF gave Kumar a Rajya Sabha seat last year, but the situation changed after Bihar Chief Minister and JD-U national President Nitish Kumar joined hands with Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance. Kumar ended political ties with Nitish Kumar and quit the Rajya Sabha last month.
Asked if he will get back the Rajya Sabha seat he had resigned with Left support, the JD-U leader said it is not in the scheme of things and also ruled out merger with JD-Secular, an ally of the Left, with whom he parted ways in 2009.
–IANS
sg/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.