National
Tripura, Bengal governments offer job, other help to slain journalist’s kin
Agartala, Nov 28 (IANS) The Tripura and West Bengal governments on Tuesday offered government jobs, educational help and financial aid to the kin of a slain Tripura journalist, who was gunned down by a security personnel last week.
Journalist Sudip Datta Bhowmik, 50, was shot by a Tripura State Rifle (TSR) rifleman in Radha Kishore Nagar, 25 km from Agartala, on November 21.
“The Council of Ministers in a weekly meeting today (Tuesday) has decided to give Rs 10 lakh to Bhowmik’s family. The cost of his teenaged daughter’s education would be borne by the state government,” Tripura Information and Finance Minister Bhanulal Saha told the media.
Chief Minister Manik Sarkar presided over the cabinet meeting.
On the other hand, Trinamool Congress (TMC)’s West Bengal Assembly member Sabyasachi Dutta accompanied by state party leaders on Tuesday visited the home of the slain journalist.
Datta later told the media that TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee talked to Bhowmik’s mother Putul Rani Datta Bhowmik over the phone and assured her that the Bengal government would provide a government job to the deceased’s son Samik, who is now studying engineering in an Odisha institute.
“Mamata Banerjee also assured to take the educational responsibility (by her government) of Bhowmik’s daughter Samridhi (who is studying in Class VIII in a Tripura school),” said Sabyasachi Dutta, who is also the Mayor of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation.
According to police, TSR second battalion rifleman Nandu Kumar Reang, following an altercation, shot dead Sudip Datta Bhowmik at the battalion headquarters in Radha Kishore Nagar.
Reang was the bodyguard of battalion Commandant Tapan Debbarma, who is a senior Tripura Police Service (TPS) officer (1998 batch) and waiting for IPS nomination. The slain journalist had gone to meet Debbarma at the battalion headquarters.
To probe the sensational killing, the state government earlier constituted a four-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Deputy Inspector General of police Arindam Nath.
The SIT has so far arrested four TSR personnel, including Debbarma, and his bodyguard.
“More TSR officials are likely to be arrested in connection with the journalist’s killing,” an SIT member said.
The Press Council of India (PCI) has taken suo motu cognizance of the killing and sought a report from the Tripura government.
Demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the incident, several journalist organisations under a newly-formed platform — Forum for Protection of Journalists (FFPJ) — are continuing their agitation.
FFPJ Convener Pranab Sarkar said a memorandum would be sent to President Ram Nath Kovind demanding a CBI probe into the killing of the journalist and protection to media persons.
Bhowmik, who was a reporter with “Syandan Patrika” and local cable television channel “Vanguarda”, is survived by his wife, a government teacher, and two children.
Earlier, 28-year-old TV reporter Santanu Bhowmik was hacked to death while covering an event of a tribal party in Mandai in western Tripura on September 20.
The Congress has demanded a high-level inquiry into the murder. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded a CBI probe and resignation of Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, who also holds the Home portfolio. Both parties observed a state-wide shutdown last week (on Thursday) to protest the killing.
The ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has criticised the BJP for politicising the journalist’s killing.
“State government is on the right track in probing the unfortunate killing,” CPI-M central committee member Gautam Das told the media.
–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.