National
Congress slams Modi for wearing ‘Italian glasses’ at Kedarnath (Lead)
New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) The Congress on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being “arrogant” over his remarks on redevelopment of the Kedarnath shrine after the flash floods of 2013, saying he has disrespected the people of Uttarakhand and also slammed him for wearing “Italian glasses” at the holy place.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi does baba’s darshan wearing an Italian brand Bulgari glasses. Similarly, he promises to develop a ‘New India’ through those Italian glasses,” said Congress spokesperson R.P.N. Singh.
“He spoke with arrogance at baba’s shrine,” he said and added this is the first time somebody gave a speech with his back towards the shrine.
Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala, in a video message, said: “By visiting Kedarnath today (Friday), Modiji has not only disrespected people of Uttarakhand but also showed his arrogance.”
His remarks came after the Prime Minister accused the Congress of rejecting his proposal of redeveloping the Himalayan shrine of Kedarnath after the devastating flash floods in 2013.
Firing salvos at Modi, Surjewala asked: “After the 2013 disaster, is it only Modiji who is capable of redeveloping Uttarakhand? Was the work done by the then state government, people and the devotees of Lord Shiva to redevelop Kedarnath a waste? Out of 130 crore people, is none capable of redeveloping Kedarnath other than Modiji?”
He said: “When the ruler turns arrogant, then his downfall is very close.”
He urged the Prime Minister to not disrespect the people of the state, saying: “Lord Shiva does not ask for help, he asks for devotion.”
“And those who devote themselves towards the Lord get the fruits of their devotion. Modiji should maintain at least some humility at the door of Lord Shiva,” Surjewala added.
Singh also attacked the Prime Minister for the redevelopment work of the shrine. “After devastating flash floods in 2013, the UPA government formed a Cabinet Committee, which sanctioned Rs 8,000 crore for the redevelopment. Our government had already released Rs 2,200 crore out of the total amount.”
“This government (BJP) has not released even a ruppee after Rs 2,200 crore was released by the Congress government,” he added.
Attacking Modi over his remarks that when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he tried helping in the redevelopment work, Singh said there is no record available in the Uttarakhand Chief Minister’s office of such an effort being made.
“Modi, as Gujarat Chief Minister, had also said his government had rescued 5,000 Gujarati people. But the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand during that time, Vijay Bahuguna, had mentioned that no other government had worked towards the rescue of the victims. Only the state government was involved in rescue work,” he added.
Continuing his attack, Singh said: “He also said he is Baba’s son. This is just a political gimmick before the elections (Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat).”
Slamming Modi for saying that “he is the only person who can work towards redevelopment of the shrine”, Singh said “no other person can protect the shrine except Baba Kedarnath”.
“Everyone can only visit the shrine as a devotee. Even Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi went there as a devotee. One cannot go there as an arrogant person.”
“He (Modi) also said he went there as the doors of the shrine were in the verge of getting closed. But, he has already closed the doors for the farmers, youth, poor, businessmen by implementing the GST and demonetisation. But, he did not say anything about it.”
–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.