National
Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019 moved in Upper House
New Delhi: Moving the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019 in the Upper House on Wednesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Bill is a ray of hope for minorities living in a very critical situation in India’s three neighbouring countries – Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh – along with those who came to India due to religious persecution but have not been given citizenship.
“After independence, it was expected that minority citizens living in East and West Pakistan and Afghanistan will be given all the rights and live with respect. Their customs, cultures and religion would be preserved. Their families would be safe,” said Shah.
The minister said that after decades the reality is totally different. “Rights of minorities living in Pakistan and Afghanistan were not taken care of. When Bangladesh was formed, initially the rights of minorities were taken care. But now around 20 per cent population of people from minority communities in these countries has vanished. Either they have been converted or killed,” he said.
The minister said that because of religious persecution many came to India. “Here also they have not been taken care of. In India also they are fighting for basic rights. This Bill will give relief to the people who have faced religion persecution.”
Shah clarified that during 2019 Lok Sabha elections his party released a manifesto and shared it with the public. “In parliamentary democratic system, the manifesto is a mirror of policies a party is going to introduce. The BJP in its manifesto had declared that minorities who had faced religious persecution would be given Indian citizenship.”
Talking about people claiming that the BJP is doing this for vote bank politics, the minister said, “I want to say that we have kept this issue before the people and they supported and brought us to power. They trusted us that we will bring Citizenship Amendment Bill for the people who had faced religious persecution. We are committed to their rights and our promises.”
He also said that his government is also committed to the concerns of people from Northeast. “We are committed to preserve the culture and customs of northeastern states. We have looked into all the aspects and only then brought the Bill,” he said.
Shah stressed that Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain, Christian, and Parsi refugees should get citizenship in India.
He also pointed out that there are many people spreading misinformation about the Bill that it is against the Muslims and minorities in India. “I want to make it clear that this Bill has nothing to do with Muslims. This Bill is about minorities living in the three neighbouring countries.”
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.