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Maldives Parliament committee approves extension of Emergency (Lead)

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Male, Feb 19 (IANS) Maldives’ parliamentary committee on national security passed a resolution on Monday to extend the ongoing state of Emergency by an additional 15 days.

The development came after President Abdulla Yameen earlier in the day requested the Parliament to extend the Emergency, which was first declared on February 5 for 15 days.

Parliament was convened for a special session to debate the resolution before the initial period of Emergency expires on Tuesday, en.mihaaru.com reported.

The National Security Committee reviewed the resolution behind closed doors. It was passed with six members of the ruling coalition — Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) — voting in favour, while two lawmakers of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) voted against it.

The resolution was forwarded to the committee for review with the votes of 38 lawmakers. Opposition lawmakers boycotted the “special” sitting.

The opposition lawmakers later stated that “to pass the state of Emergency declaration from the Parliament there should be 43 members participating in the vote as per Constitution. A vote taken without them would be invalid”.

However, the members of the parliamentary committee after approving the resolution revealed that they had amended it to lift the suspension of constitutional articles that curtailed the powers of the Parliament and judiciary.

Yameen had declared the state of Emergency soon after the Supreme Court issued an order on February 1 to release nine high-profile political prisoners, including exiled leader Mohamed Nasheed and reinstate unseated legislators.

The ruling was, however, rescinded shortly after the announcement of Emergency.

In his letter to the Parliament, Yameen had stated that the Supreme Court had overreached its judicial mandate despite the separation of powers, which would compromise the independence and sovereignty of the nation.

The President said he believed that the top court’s actions had shaken the constitutional framework of the Maldives.

While the committee has passed the 15-day extension to the state of Emergency, it can only be enforced after Parliament’s approval.

–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma

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World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.

Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.

During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.

On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”

Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.

It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.

Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.

Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”

On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”

The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.

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