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Brazil court bars Lula from running in presidential election (Lead)
Brasilia, Sep 1 (IANS) A Brazilian court ordered that former president Lula da Silva, currently in prison, cannot stand as a candidate in the presidential election this year because of a corruption conviction.
The judges from the Supreme Electoral Court on Friday ruled six to one against the once highly popular leader who was leading in the polls for the upcoming elections, Efe news reported.
Lula has been in prison since April on corruption charges which he claims are a sham.
His Workers’ Party (PT in Portuguese) called the decision arbitrary and politically motivated, adding that it would appeal the electoral court’s ruling.
Luis Roberto Barroso, the investigating judge in the case, accepted the objections against Lula’s candidature based on a law known as the ‘clean sheets act’.
According to the law, passed by Lula himself in 2010 when he was in power, anyone who is convicted of a crime and has the sentence confirmed in a second hearing, is barred from running in elections.
Despite the legal hurdle, earlier this month his party had named him as its presidential candidate to the electoral commission, along with the Vice-President candidate Fernando Haddad, former education minister and ex-mayor of Sao Paulo, who is most likely to replace him as the party’s presidential candidate.
Judge Barroso rejected the arguments in defence of Lula, most of which were based on an appeal by the United Nations Human Rights Committee, which had urged the government to allow Lula to run.
Lula was imprisoned on April 7 and is serving a 12-year sentence on charges of corruption and money laundering in a scandal related to state-owned petroleum company Petrobras, for allegedly acquiring a beach apartment as commission from a construction firm.
Recent polls showed that almost 40 per cent of those intending to vote supported the former president, followed by far-right leader Jair Bolsonero.
–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
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.