National
Bareilly ‘starvation’ death’: Akhilesh calls it ‘blot on democracy’
Lucknow, Nov 16 (IANS) Even as the Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday denied that the death of a 50-year-old woman in Bareilly was due to starvation, the Samajwadi Party (SP) expressed its dismay over the incident and said it reflected on the lacunae in the system.
In a tweet, former Chief Minister and national president of the SP, Akhilesh Yadav said the death of the poor woman due to alleged starvation was a “blot on democracy”. He said that if the woman was ill and could not go to the ration shop for her biometric verification to pick up foodgrains then there should have been a system in place to meet such a situation.
“Rules made in the name of the system are not bigger than anyone’s life, very sad,” the 44-year-old said.
The Bareilly administration however remained firm on its stand that prima facie probe into the matter had not indicated that the woman, Sakeena, died of starvation but due to some illness.
Family members of Sakeena however maintain that she died of hunger after her husband was turned away from the ration shop as the ration card was in her name and that she had to be physically present. A team of officials including the ‘nayab tehsildar’, a sub-divisional magistrate and the district supply officer have since recorded the statements of Sakeena’s husband and two sons.
Ram Akshay, the SDM of Meerganj, has categorically refuted the charge of death due to starvation, terming it “baseless and false”.
“We have sent the fact finding report to the DM. There is nothing of this sort as alleged. The deceased had Rs 4,572 in her bank account, so the claim of abject poverty does not stick. Moreover, her neighbours said she had not been keeping well for the past few days,” the SDM said.
–IANS
md/rn
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.