National
BJP, NSUI protest VAT hike on fuel in Delhi
New Delhi: The BJP and NSUI, the Congress’ student wing, on Thursday protested against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government here increasing value-added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel, and demanded its immediate rollback.
“We want that the recent increase in VAT should be rolled back. We foresaw the situation when the AAP raised the VAT slot by raising the amendment bill during the state budget session,” Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Satish Upadhyay told IANS.
The hike in VAT came into effect from July 16 midnight.
“This move exposed the dual face of the AAP government. If the AAP has hundreds of crores of rupees to raise the advertisement and publicity budget, then they have no moral right to raise VAT,” Upadhyay said.
Saying the hike was not needed as the national capital already had above average VAT collection revenue, Upadhyay said Arvind Kejriwal’s government failed to fulfil its election promises made to the people of Delhi.
Holding posters, banners and raising slogans against the chief minister and the AAP, a number of protesters assembled near ITO and moved towards the Delhi Secretariat.
The NSUI, student wing of the Congress party, also protested outside Kejriwal’s residence at Civil Lines and sought a rollback in the prices of petrol and diesel.
On Wednesday, the Delhi government increased VAT on petrol and diesel, and fuel prices in Delhi were increased by Rs.2.78 per litre for petrol and Rs.1.83 a litre for diesel.
Justifying the hike, a Delhi government official said the decision to raise VAT was taken in the meeting of the finance ministers of northern states on May 21 to bring uniformity in the tax rates of petrol and diesel.
This is the first hike in VAT effected by the AAP government since coming to power with a sweeping mandate.
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.