World
Foreign monitors’ presence a damning indictment: Sri Lankan daily
Colombo: The presence of foreign election monitors is “a damning indictment on all those who have ruled this country during the last few decades”, said a Sri Lankan daily on Tuesday, a day after general elections were held in the country.
The Island in an editorial “After the polls…” said that general election ended peacefully.
“…the wheeling and dealing will continue for some time with the winning party going all out to muster more numbers to keep itself on an even keel. There will be bitter intra-party disputes and even defections. It will be days, if not weeks, before the UPFA (United People’s Freedom Alliance) sorts out its problems,” it added.
Monday’s polls saw a keen contest between Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe led United National Front (UNF) and the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) which has former president Mahinda Rajapaksa as its main candidate.
The daily said: “We must be ashamed as a nation that we cannot conduct an election without foreign monitors though nearly seven decades have elapsed since Independence. Those men and women deserve to be thanked profusely for having taken the trouble of having come all the way here to monitor polls and issuing reports which are useful in assessing our performance as a democracy.
“But, their presence is a damning indictment on all those who have ruled this country during the last few decades.”
It went on to say that one of the top priorities of the new government will be to “appoint the Constitutional Council and ensure that the independent commissions will be fully functional”.
“Steps must be taken to prevent political interference with the electoral process even under a strong government,” the daily added.
The editorial called for “robust institutional safeguards”.
“Clean, scheduled elections are, among other things, the hallmarks of an advanced democracy. This is something Sri Lanka should strive to achieve if it is to command the respect of the global community.”
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.