National
Saseendran returns as Kerala minister, HC seeks government’s explanation
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 1 (IANS) Less than an year after NCP leader A.K. Saseendran quit as Kerala Transport Minister following the “sleaze tape” case, he returned to the Pinarayi Vijayan government on Thursday, being sworn in as a minister by Governor P. Sathasivam.
The swearing-in was boycotted by the Congress-led opposition, which questioned morality of this act in the wake of reports that the entire case was swept under the carpet by police and the state government.
Meanwhile spelling more trouble for the government, the Kerala High Court, just before the swearing-in took place, asked the state government to file an explanation on the reason why he was exonerated.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader had to resign in March 2017 after a “sleaze chat” of his with a woman journalist had surfaced.
Last week, a lower court here cleared Saseendran of the charge, but a woman named Maha Lekshmi filed a petition in the Kerala High Court questioning the way the case was disposed off by the lower court.
Lekshmi had earlier also approached the lower court requesting that Saseendran should not be cleared. But her plea was dismissed.
The lower court on Saturday gave a clean chit to Saseendran after the woman journalist backtracked, telling the court that Saseendran never misbehaved with her, and nor was she sure whether it was the then Minister who had spoken to her over the phone.
Earlier in the day in the Kerala assembly, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala questioned the manner in which Saseendran has been allowed to return as minister and how through this, the much-talked about statement of the Left about “respect to womanhood’ has been compromised by the Vijayan government.
As the swearing in was going on, the Congress’ youth wing held protests all across the state while in front of the state secretariat here, senior Congress legislator K.Muraleedharan said that with Saseendran’s re-induction, the Vijayan government’s image has taken a severe beating.
“No one understands the rationale behind Vijayan’s adamant stand of allowing a tainted character like Saseendran to return to his cabinet,” he said.
–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.