National
Bhopal gas tragedy survivors campaign against BJP ahead of bypolls
Bhopal, Feb 22 (IANS) The survivors of the Bhopal gas tragedy — which struck the state capital nearly 33 years ago — on Thursday appealed to voters not to vote for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly going back on promises made to the victims/survivors of the tragedy.
In the run-up to the February 24 bypolls in Mungawali and Shivpuri Assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh, the survivors distributed pamphlets and pasted posters to voice their demands on buses proceeding towards Mungawali, Kolaras and Chanderi from Nadra bus stand in the state capital.
“It is very important to tell the voters about the truth regarding the lies of the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government vis-a-vis the tragedy survivors who have now launched a campaign against the ruling BJP,” said Rachna Dhingra, who has been fighting for the cause of the tragedy survivors for many years.
Their pamphlets and posters list the demands yet to be met by the government.
She said the survivors had already put up posters in the two Assembly segments and were now concentrating on their anti-BJP campaign in the state capital.
The gas tragedy occurred on the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984, when methyl icocynate gas leaked from the Union Carbide India Ltd (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal. Over 500,000 people were exposed to the poisonous gas and hundreds of them died subsequently.
The bypolls in the two segments were necessitated by the demise of sitting Congress MLAs. Counting of votes will be taken up on February 28.
–IANS
hindi/tsb/sac
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.