National
Mamata government refuses to discuss Gorkhaland at all-party meeting (Lead)
Kolkata, Aug 29 (IANS) The West Bengal government on Tuesday refused to discuss the demand for a separate Gorkhaland state raised by some hill-based outfits during an all-party meeting here, as it requested them to withdraw the ongoing indefinite shutdown in the north Bengal hills.
Rejecting any discussions on Gorkhaland, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee argued that the matter was not under the state government’s jurisdiction.
“They (hill parties) raised the demand of Gorkhaland but we did not agree with this issue. We said this is not in our hands and we cannot discuss this. You can raise your voice as it is your democratic right, but the state government has its own jurisdictions, some constitutional obligations and bindings,” she said after the meeting at the state secretariat Nabanna near here.
Major political parties in the hills including the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha attended the meeting.
“We requested them to withdraw the ongoing shutdown that has been continuing for so long and restore normalcy in the region keeping in mind the suffering of the locals. Every body in the meeting agreed that peace and normacy should be restored. Let them take their own time. Let them discuss among their parties and decide,” said Banerjee.
To a specific poser from the media about the hill parties strongly raising the Gorkhaland demand at the meeting, she curtly told the questioner “not to vitiate the situation further by raising such queries”.
“This was a bipartite meeting between the hill parties and the state government. They might ask us to recommend it to the Centre as it is not in our hand, but we cannot d that. They have not asked for a tripartite dialogue but they have conveyed their demand to us,” she said.
Hailing the discussions as agood, positive and constructive’, Banerjee said the dialogue should be a continuous process to resolve the deadlock over the issue.
“The dialogue must continue to end the deadlock situation. It is good that the process has started. Our interactions would continue,” said Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo.
“It is good that instead of bulldozing or imposing anything on anyone, it is the freedom of right and freedom and democracy that prevailed,” she said, refering to the GJM and other hill parties raising the Gorkhaland demand during the meeting.
The GJM, the principal political party in the hills, has time and again accused the state administration of high-handedness and attempts to bulldoze in handling the situation in the hills.
“They can raise their voice and we can raise ours.We thank all the hill-based political parties, specially the the ones present here today. We want peace and development for the hills,” Banerjee said, announcing the next meeting would be held on September 12 in Uttar Kanya, the state secretariat in north Bengal.
Banerjee proposed during the meeting that she would resolve the scarcity of supplies of public distribution materisls in the hills if the strike was withdrawn.
–IANS
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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.
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