National
Will Pinarayi Vijayan use Solar Scam report to get back at Chandy? (News Analysis)
By Sanu George
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 28 (IANS) All eyes are on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the CPI-M to see how they use the judicial commission report on the solar energy investment fraud in which former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s office was allegedly involved.
The report of the Solar Judicial Commission, headed by Justice (Retd) G. Sivarajan, has criticised the manner in which Chandy’s office was involved in helping out a fraudulent couple amass money by cheating innocent investors to the tune of Rs 70 million in the guise of supplying solar panels.
The couple — Saritha Nair and her live-in partner Biju Radhakrishnan — was arrested. While Nair is out on bail, Radhakrishnan is still in custody after it came to light that he murdered his first wife.
After the scam surfaced in 2013, Chandy threw out three of his staff members when it was found that they had frequent contacts with Saritha Nair.
Vijayan and his office was presented the report — that runs into four volumes — by Sivarajan on Tuesday. The Chief Minister’s office has begun an in-depth study of the report.
For the CPI-M and Vijayan, Chandy is the most formidable political leader whose popularity has not waned, despite the UDF’s defeat in the 2016 assembly polls. The ruling Left Democratic Front is likely to try and leverage the report for political gains.
One of the four volumes of the Solar Judicial Commission report is on the role of Chandy’s office when he was at the helm. Among the numerous frauds the couple perpetrated, one case pertains to a rich businessman with Congress connections, who was duped.
According to those in the know of things, Vijayan and his close aides in order to keep Chandy under check, are likely to order a re-investigation into the case.
While Saritha Nair has claimed that she met Chandy in his office, he has denied such a meeting. Reopening of this case could give sleepless nights to Chandy.
But Chandy is unfazed and as always continues to say that he is confident because he has done no wrong in the solar scam.
With a crucial CPI-M committee meeting to be held here in the coming days, a game plan on how to checkmate Chandy and keep him on tenterhooks is most likely to emerge.
For Vijayan it could be a way to get even with Chandy who at his last cabinet meeting as Chief Minister before the assembly election announcement last year, had decided to hand over the SNC Lavalin case to the CBI. Vijayan was made the seventh accused in the SNC Lavalin case as he was Electricity Minister when the deal was inked two decades ago.
After a long and protracted legal battle, the Kerala High Court last month gave Vijayan a clean chit in the case.
–IANS
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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.