National
Maken seeks rejection of AAP’s RS nominee who holds office of profit
New Delhi, Jan 6 (IANS) The Congress on Saturday demanded rejection of the candidature of AAP nominee N.D. Gupta in the Rajya Sabha election from Delhi on the ground he holds office of profit as a trustee of the National Pension System.
“(The) Congress has filed objection at scrutiny of AAP Rajya Sabha candidate N.D. Gupta,” Delhi Congress Chief Ajay Maken tweeted. He also posted his letter to the Returning Officer for Biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha from Delhi to be held on January 16.
Calling Gupta, a BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and GST supporter, Maken said he was appointed as the trustee of the government-owned Rs 1.75 lakh crore National Pension Scheme Trust on March 30, 2015 and “still holds this office of profit as on date. (He is) ineligible to contest”.
Three Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidates — party leader Sanjay Singh, businessman Sushil Gupta and Chartered Accountant N.D. Gupta — filed their nominations on Thursday.
In his letter to the Returning Officer, the Congress leader said: “That with respect of the said nominations filed, the nomination of Narayan Dass Gupta is liable to be rejected under Section 36 of the Representation of People Act, 1951 read with Article 102 of the Constitution of India for holding an office of profit.”
The contributory pension system was introduced by the government on December 22, 2003 and it was made mandatory for pension benefits for government employees since January 1, 2004.
The pension scheme was converted into a trust and accordingly the trust deed dated February 27, 2008 was executed under the Indian Trust Act of 1882.
“Therefore, the NPS discharges a very important government function that of being the custodian of pensions of lakhs government employees. In other words, it was almost an extension of the Ministry of Finance and Department of Pension.
“Therefore the office of the Trustee of the NPS, which N.D. Gupta holds, is an office of profit which virtually discharges the functions of the government itself,” Maken said.
The former union minister said the office of a trustee is entitled to renumeration, emoluments, perks and other facilities.
The office is not protected under the Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1959 and is directly hit by Article 102 of the Constitution, Maken said.
–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.