National
Modi accuses Congress of obliterating Patel’s contribution from history (Lead)
New Delhi, Oct 31 (IANS) In a veiled attack on Congress and its previous governments, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that some political parties and governments tried to obliterate Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s name from the history books or tried to diminish his stature by ignoring his contribution in unifying the country after independence.
The attack came against the backdrop of Gujarat Assembly elections when a fight over the legacy of Patel has intensified between the BJP and its rivals in the state as they seek to woo the Patel community.
“Patel was not introduced to the new generation as he deserved. Attempts were made either to erase his name from the history or to diminish him. But history is evidence that whether any government accepted him or not or any political party gave importance to him or not but the youth of the country will never forget him even for a while. They will not allow him to be banished from history,” Modi said while flagging off the ‘Run for Unity’ on the birth anniversary of the first deputy Prime Minister celebrated as “National Unity Day” here.
Modi also invoked first President Dr. Rajendra Prasad to prove that how attempts were made to run down the contributions of Sardar Patel despite his great contribution to the country.
“Today his (Dr Prasad) soul will be happy to see that Sardar Patel has not been forgotten. Rajendra Babu had said that if we proudly take the name of India, it became possible because of Sardar Patel’s statesmanship and due to his strong hold on the administration. Despite this we forgot him very early. This was the pain expressed by Rajendra Babu.
“Today we are celebrating his birth anniversary with organising ‘Run for Unity’ across the country. Although some people tried to ensure that contribution of Patel was forgotten but he is still alive in the hearts of people and inspiring the youth,” Modi said.
Likening the Raksha Bandhan festival with celebration of “Run for Unity” programme, Modi justified the celebration of Patel’s birth anniversary as ‘Run for Unity’.
“Love between a brother and sister can never but despite we celebrate the festival of Raksha Bandhan to purify the relationship. Despite our rich cultural heritage we need to purify it every time. We need to remember the mantra of unity,” he said.
He said that it was Patel’s farsightedness that he used every tactic and strategy with “saam, daam, dand, bhed” to keep the nation united after the independence as the Britishers tried their best to divide the country and ruin India as a nation.
Highlighting the contribution of Patel, Modi said: “Using his skills, and determination Sardar Patel saved India from the problems that emerged soon after Partition. “He ensured India did not remain split into small princely states.”
Modi also emphasised that “our country should remain one”. “The country that Patel has given, retaining its unity is the responsibility of all Indians.”
“Therefore, all generations should know how he maintained that unity. We are celebrating his birth anniversary as ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister said India is proud of its diversity, and occasions such as “Run For Unity” offer us an opportunity to reinforce that sense of pride and oneness.
The Prime Minister also administered a pledge to keep the nation united to the participants of Run For Unity.
–IANS
bns-aks/vsc/vm
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.