National
Congress slams Left government’s liquor policy in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 11 (IANS) Top Congress leaders in Kerala on Monday slammed the Pinarayi Vijayan government for tinkering with the liquor policy and attacked those who were quite vocal when the Congress was ruling the state but “have now become silent”.
The Congress party organised statewide protests on Monday against the new liquor policy which allowed reopening of more than 200 bars in three- and four-star hotels, which were closed when the previous Oommen Chandy government came out with its liquor policy in 2015. The aim was to enforce prohibition in the state by 2023.
Following the release of the new policy of incumbent Left Democratic Front (LDF), most of the remaining closed bars are also expected to reopen shortly.
Inaugurating the statewide protest in the capital city, Chandy called upon all those who were strongly protesting when the Congress was ruling the state to speak out against the ruling Left government’s new liquor policy.
“Such people should now come out in the open to fight the new liquor policy, as this policy is going to be detrimental to the interests of the state. The Left government has overturned the policy that was envisaged to enforce total prohibition in our state in a phased manner,” said Chandy.
The former Chief Minister had closed down nearly 700 bars in 2015, with liquor available in just two dozen five-star hotels in the state.
The Left government not only amended the rules to allow bars to operate along the state and national highways but also reduced the mandatory distance between liquor vends and educational and religious institutions from 200 metres to 50 metres.
“During the tenure of Chandy, every time the state government opened the topic of liquor policy, various Christian bishops heading different churches in the state and anti-liquor bodies came out with strong warnings, saying any policy favourable to the liquor industry would be opposed,” a Congress leader said.
But since July this year, after the Vijayan government came out with the new policy, all such organisations appeared to have gone silent, he added.
State Congress President M.M. Hassan, while inaugurating the protest at Ernakulam, said the new policy was an outcome of the secret deal worked out ahead of the 2016 assembly elections between the liquor lobby and the Left.
State unit Vice President V.D. Satheeshan, who inaugurated the protest in Kannur, said the time was not far away when one would see bars attached to schools in Kerala, as the distance from a liquor vend to an educational institution had now been reduced to 50 metres.
Former state party President V.M. Sudheeran, who inaugurated the protest in Kozhikode, said the State Excise Commissioner would come out with misleading figures and statistics, which also facilitated tweaking of the liquor policy.
–IANS
sg/nir/dg
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.
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
Cheers and Cheers: Barzilla’s Joyful Ode to Inclusivity and Celebration
Casino Days Reveal Internal Data on Most Popular Smartphones
Meghalaya Reserves Legalized Gambling and Sports Betting for Tourists
IPL 20202 UPDATE: KXIP vs MI IPL Dream11 Team Prediction for Today Match, Update Point Table of all Team.
In a Live debate AAP leader Syed Asad Abbas hurls abuses to BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.
‘India’s Most Wanted’ trailer out Arjun Kapoor on hunt of Osama-Bin-Laden
Time to move on: Sonakshi on Shatrughan’s joining Congress
