National
Chhattisgarh PDS scam: Approach HC, SC tells petitioners
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked petitioners seeking a court-monitored CBI probe into the public distribution system (PDS) scam in Chhattisgarh to approach the high court as it was in a better position to address the issue.
A bench of Justice T.S. Thakur, Justice V. Gopala Gowda and Justice R. Banumathi said “the high court will be in a better position to examine the matter and record the findings”.
“If you have any difficulty, you can always come to us. It will not be right (for the apex court) to listen to everything, grab and not let the high court function,” the bench told the petitioners.
At the outset of the hearing, when Justice Thakur asked counsel Kapil Sibal, appearing for one of the petitioners, to go to the Chhattisgarh High Court, he replied: “In this case, top authorities are involved. You name them, they are there.”
Telling the court “Why I said what I had said”, Sibal added that even the head of the Anti-Corruption Bureau has said in a video that some dimensions of the PDS scam reaches a place which they cannot investigate.
When high dignitaries are involved, what investigation will take place, Sibal asked, and quoted the ACB chief as saying: “There are certain people we can’t reach.”
The counsel said investigators have got a diary that contains all the names.
As Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Chhattisgarh, sought to dispute what was being attributed to the Chhattisgarh ACB chief, Sibal took out a mobile phone, urging the apex court to listen to the video recording of what the ACB chief said.
Sibal said the state corporation was purchasing paddy from farmers and giving it to rice mills, and they in turn were returning third rate rice which beneficiaries under PDS were refusing to take.
The court witnessed some frayed tampers as the attorney general said the entire matter was “politically motivated”, while Sibal retaliated saying “politically motivated at your end”.
As one of the lawyers told the court that in the FIR, 26 people were named but it came down to 16 in the charge sheet, Rohatgi said: “Go back to the special judge and tell him that these are the people.”
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.