National
Dalit protests bring Gujarat cities to standstill
Gandhinagar, April 2 (IANS) Life in major cities and towns of Gujarat came to a standstill on Monday as Dalits in large numbers protested against what they called the “dilution” of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act by the Supreme Court.
Although there were no reports of any loss of life or major incidents from across the state, there were reports from across the state of crowds stopping vehicular traffic on highways and in cities, scuffles between protesters and police, disruption in train services, forced closure of commercial establishments and suspension of bus services.
In Ahmedabad, the financial capital of the state, several groups of Dalits took out protest marches and paralysed most parts of the city. Authorities suspended the BRTS (Bus Rapid Transit System) in the city for the day protestors put up roadblocks across many parts of the city and deflated tyres of many Municial Corporation-run buses.
Dalit activist and Vadgam MLA Jignesh Mevani said: “The apex court observations in the case are against the Constitution’s spirit and has hurt us terribly.”
In the morning, Mevani led a rally of Dalits in Sarangpur area of the city, which later indulged in stone-pelting, after which police burst tear-gas shells.
A young man slashed his hand during the protest and was shifted to hospital for treatment.
Protests were also reported from areas like Chand Kheda, Maninagar, Hatkeshwar, Amraiwadi, CTM, Dani Limda, Naroda, Kalupur, Ambawadi, C.G. Road, Bapunagar, forcing people to remain indoors.
Protestors also rallied on railway tracks in Vadodara, stopping train on the Vadodara-Ahmedabad route. They also tried to set up roadblocks on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai National Highway near Vadodara, Surat and Navsari, leading to massive traffic jams.
Similar incidents were reported from other cities and towns, including state capital Gandhinagar, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Surendranagar, and Kutch in Saurashtra-Kutch region.
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani blamed the Congress and said: “The Congress is playing politics in the name of Dalits and shedding crocodile tears. Everyone knows how they treated Dr B.R. Ambedkar when he was alive.”
He said the state was equipped to handle any situation and that the bandh was a “limited success” in Gujarat.
On March 20, the Supreme Court ruled that the arrest of an accused under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act is not mandatory and a recourse to coercive action would be taken only after preliminary inquiry and sanction by the competent authority.
Coupled with this, the court said, there was no absolute bar against grant of anticipatory bail in cases under the Act if no prima facie case was made out or where on judicial scrutiny the complaint was found to be prima facie mala fide.
–IANS
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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.
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