National
Dalit protests derail life in Punjab, Haryana (Second Lead)
Chandigarh, April 2 (IANS) Normal life was crippled across Punjab and Haryana on Monday as activists from various Scheduled Castes (SC) organisations held protests against the dilution of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act following a Supreme Court order.
The police cane-charged and used force at a few places to disperse the crowds and ensure the day passes off peacefully.
Hundreds of protesters carrying swords, sticks, baseball bats and flags forced shops and other establishments in Jalandhar, Amritsar and Bathinda to shut down. The Punjab Police cane-charged protesters in Bathinda.
However, no major incident of violence was reported from either of the states.
According to reports, some protesters stopped trains at a couple of places in Punjab but relented after talks with railway officials.
Demonstrators also entered the Jalandhar Cantt railway station, shouting slogans and burnt effigies on the tracks.
Protests were reported from Ferozepur, Mansa, Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur in Punjab. The demonstrators blocked highways and roads in both the states, leading the police to use force to disperse them. However, this led to inconvenience to commuters.
Traffic in and around Chandigarh was also affected.
Rohtak, Sirsa, Kaithal, Ambala, Yamunanagar and Gurugram towns in neighbouring Haryana also saw demonstrations while shops, educational institutions and other establishments remained closed in Punjab.
The final practical examinations of Class 10 and 12 of the Punjab School Education Board, scheduled to be held on Monday, will now be held on April 11.
Various SC organisations submitted memorandums to district officers against the dilution of the Act. The Punjab government on Sunday ordered a security clampdown across the state as a precautionary measure.
Mobile internet services have been suspended from 5 p.m. on Sunday till Monday evening.
The state has the highest concentration of Scheduled Castes among the states in the country. They constitute nearly 32 per cent of the state’s 2.8 crore population.
–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.