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Hindu bodies hold protests in Kerala on Sabarimala verdict
Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 2 (IANS) Supporters of various Hindu organisations on Tuesday took to the streets in various cities of Kerala to protest against the September 28 Supreme Court verdict that threw open the Sabarimala temple to women of all ages.
The protest here was led by former Travancore Devasom Board (TDB) President and former Congress legislator Prayar Gopalakrishnan who said that he will oppose the verdict “come what may”.
He, along with Rahul Eshwar, a member of the Sabarimala temple ‘tantric’ family, and hundreds of protesters rallied in the city and even held up traffic for a while.
The TDB manages the Sabarimala temple.
At Kochi, protesters had a tiff with police when the latter objected to hampering the flow of road traffic.
The largest protest was witnessed at Pandalam, where members of the erstwhile Pandalam royal family, along with a large number of men and women walked to the Veliye Koyikal Temple at Pandalam while singing hymns.
The family plays an integral role in the temple affairs and has already expressed deep dissatisfaction over the court verdict.
Protesters also rallied at Pamba town, which is situated on the foothills of the Sabarimala temple.
“The court order is not acceptable as every religious place has its own traditions which cannot be overruled by a court of law as it affects the sentiments of devotees,” said a protester.
Similar protests were also witnessed in Palakkad.
On September 28, the apex court had said that the ban on women from entering the Lord Ayyappa temple violated their fundamental rights and constitutional guarantee of equality.
Until now, girls below the age of 10 and women over 50 were allowed to visit the hilltop shrine, located in the Western Ghats and about 130 km from Thiruvananthapuram.
–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.