National
CM says no to meeting between Tripura Governor and officials, sparks row
Agartala, Jan 3 (IANS) Ahead of the assembly elections in Tripura, Chief Minister Manik Sarkar’s direction to top state officials not to meet the governor has sparked a controversy, with political circles terming the issue a “constitutional crisis”.
A section of the local media on Tuesday and Wednesday reported that Sarkar had asked the Chief Secretary Sanjeev Ranjan and Director General of Police (DGP) Akhil Kumar Shukla not to heed Governor Tathagata Roy’s direction for a meeting with them.
The Governor and Chief Minister’s secretariats remained silent on the issue while ruling and opposition parties accused each other and the Governor.
BJP legislator Ratan Lal Nath, a former senior Congress leader, said that “a constitutional crisis” had emerged after the Chief Minister barred the top officials from meeting the constitutional head of the state.
When contacted, Governor Roy, without denying the local newspaper reports, told IANS over phone: “I would not make any comment on the issue at this moment.”
The Chief Minister’s information officer Dibyendu Sekhar Datta said that Sarkar would not react on the matter as of now.
Sunil Deodhar, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) National Executive member and the party’s observer for Tripura, said in a statement: “The Governor recently wanted them (Chief Secretary and DGP) to meet with him whereas Chief Minister personally prohibited them. So far, this is a rare instance in Tripura. The Governor has taken up the issue with the Union Home Ministry.”
“The Chief Minister met the Governor on December 29 and discussed the current situation of the state… answers of the Chief Minister failed to satisfy the Governor. Thereafter, the Governor desired that the Chief Secretary and DGP meet him.
“The Chief Minister barred the officers from going to the Governor’s House. This sudden development created an uproar in the administrative and political circles of the state,” Deodhar said in his statement.
The Left Front government has never been comfortable with Roy, he said, adding that Sarkar was frustrated at the rise of the BJP in the state and was hence resorting to such steps.
The ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) criticised the Governor over the issue.
“The Governor (must) act on the advice of the council of ministers. He can call the Chief Minister or a minister and discuss any matter. He cannot call officials,” CPI-M Tripura State Secretary Bijan Dhar told the media.
The opposition Congress also echoed the views of the CPI-M and censured the Governor.
“According to the Constitution, the Governor (can) only act on the recommendation of the state council of ministers. He can discuss any issue with the Chief Minister or any minister but the Governor cannot call officials,” Tripura Pradesh Congress Vice-President Tapas Dey told the reporters.
The Congress leader said that Roy had forgotten his Constitutional obligation and was playing “politics in Tripura”. “He turned the Raj Bhavan (into an) RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) office,” Dey alleged.
Civil Engineer-turned-politician, Roy, a former member of the BJP National Executive and a state president in West Bengal (from 2002 to 2006), took charge as the 16th governor of Left-ruled Tripura on May 20, 2015.
–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.