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Despite uncertain future, tribal refugees vote in Mizoram polls

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Agartala/Aizawl, Nov 28 (IANS) Amid prolonged uncertainty over return to their homes, Reang tribal refugees, sheltered in Tripura for 21 years, on Wednesday voted in large numbers in the Mizoram Assembly polls.

North Tripura district officials said around 60 per cent of the 12,018 voters among over 35,000 tribal immigrants after travelling around 50-60 km cast their ballots at Kanhmun, a village along the Mizoram-Tripura border.

The Election Commission (EC) had set up 15 special polling stations at Kanhmun to facilitate voting by Reang refugees, sheltered in seven camps in northern Tripura since October 1997.

Some women voters carrying their children in their laps went to the Mizoram border village to exercise their democratic right.

Over 105 Tripura government officials led by North Tripura district’s Kanchanpur and Panisagar Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDM) Abeda Nanda Baidya and N. Darlong supervised the entire process of refugees’ transportation, security and other aspects involving balloting.

Around 600 vehicles were arranged by the two sub-divisional administrations to ferry the refugees.

“Following the direction from the Election Commission, we arranged the vehicles to ferry the tribal refugees from the relief camps in Tripura to Kanhmun village to cast their votes in Mizoram Assembly polls,” Baidya told IANS over phone.

Panisagar SDM Darlong said: “We have also arranged medical facilities and ambulances for the refugee voters in need.”

“There are aged men and women, lactating and pregnant women among the immigrants, but they did not shy away from performing their democratic duties,” she told IANS from Panisagar, 150 km north of Agartala.

According to the two SDMs, a large number of immigrants were very excited to cast their votes and became ready in the wee hours on Wednesday to go to Kanhmun village, under Mamit district of west Mizoram.

During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Mizoram Assembly polls in 2013 and in the previous polls since 1997, the tribal immigrants cast their votes in the refugee camps after the Election Commission established polling stations in the relief camps in northern Tripura.

–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

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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.

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