National
Shutdown hits Janakpur demanding Modi visit
Kathmandu: A shutdown affected normal life in Janakpur in Nepal Friday after 22 political parties announced a strike protesting against the cancellation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the town revered by Hindus and Buddhists.
Life was thrown out of gear due to the ‘bandh’ called by the parties demanding that Modi visit Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, as well as Janakpur as he had announced in August.
On Thursday, the Nepal government announced the cancellation of Modi’s visit to Lumbini, Janakpur and Muktinath, saying he would only attend the Nov 26-27 SAARC Summit in Kathmandu.
The protesters said they also wanted Modi to attend a civic reception at Barha Bigha and address a mass gathering as originally scheduled Nov 25.
According to information reaching here, the protesters burnt the effigy of Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and Home Minister Bamdve Gautam, holding them responsible for the axing of the visit.
Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey told the media that India had conveyed that Modi would show up only at the SAARC Summit due to his involvement in various political meetings.
India’s Ambassador to Nepal, Ranjit Rae, however, said Friday that “no official communication has been made regarding the cancellation of the visit” to the three places.
On Thursday, cabinet minister Bimalendra Nidhi, who was to have received Modi at Janakpur, announced the cancellation after being told to do so by the Nepal government.
Amid the ambiguity, preparations continued Friday at Janakpur to host the Indian leader.
Home Secretary Surya Prasad Silwal, who is in Janakpur to oversee security and other logistic factors, told the local media that he had not got any official communication from Kathmandu cancelling Modi’s trip.
He claimed that Modi’s civic reception, welcome programme and public address would take place as scheduled at Janakpur.
“Since Thursday we have working on a war footing,” Silwal said. “I am here with the chiefs of security agencies to prepare for the Modi visit.”
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.