National
Double blow for Amarinder as close aides lose jobs (News Analysis)
By Jaideep Sarin
Chandigarh, Jan 21 (IANS) In a matter of just 24 hours, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh suffered a double blow as two of his close aides in the government lost their jobs — one bowing to the law of the land and the second one being forcibly sacrificed at the political altar.
The exit of senior bureaucrat Suresh Kumar, a close aide and confidant of Amarinder Singh in the 10-month-old Congress government in the state, as the Chief Principal Secretary after the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday held his appointment to a cadre post as void, being in violation of the Constitution, has definitely affected the Chief Minister and his high profile office.
Kumar, a 1983-batch IAS officer who retired as Additional Chief Secretary in Punjab in April 2016, was hand-picked by Amarinder when he became the Chief Minister in March last year.
The officer, known for his impeccable, honest and upright approach, was often referred to as the “Super CM” in Punjab’s power circles in the past 10 months. Such was the power of this soft-spoken, outspoken officer that he was reputed to be taking critical government decisions even if the Chief Minister was unavailable at times.
Kumar took no time in stepping down after the high court nullified his appointment even though Amarinder put up a bold face to ask state Advocate General Atul Nanda to examine the Court order and initiate legal recourse.
There have been murmurs in government circles that a powerful lobby of people in the government and the Congress could be secretly behind the petition filed in the high court against Kumar’s appointment. Perhaps, they could not see the upright officer virtually call all shots in the functioning of the state government.
Kumar had earlier served as the Principal Secretary to Amarinder Singh for three years during the latter’s earlier tenure as Chief Minister (2002-2007).
The second blow to Amarinder came on Thursday after the Congress High Command, meaning Congress president Rahul Gandhi, forced Amarinder to accept the resignation of Punjab’s powerful cabinet minister Rana Gurjit Singh.
Rana, who was embroiled in controversies in the past few months related to the multi-crore rupee benami sand mining auctions in the state and conflicts of interest in his role as a minister and his family’s business interests, was forced to put in his papers earlier this month but Amarinder kept delaying its acceptance.
The nudge for the forced resignation, Congress insiders told IANS, came from Rahul Gandhi’s office itself after Punjab Congress leaders briefed briefed the party president on the alleged activities of the minister and his family members and associates.
Summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) earlier this month to Rana’s son, Inder Pratap Singh, for raising the equivalent of over Rs 100 crore (over $15 million) abroad without taking permission from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) precipitated matters.
Rana, a billionaire industrialist with interests in the sugar, liquor and power sectors, was a close confidant of Amarinder Singh.
The Chief Minister, in March last year, not only inducted him into the cabinet but assigned him the important portfolios of power and irrigation.
Rana was on the political hit-list of the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal. Despite his name figuring in controversies, Amarinder continued to defend him till the party high command intervened.
Amarinder, who led the party to a massive victory in assembly polls in March last year — winning 77 out of 117 assembly seats — will now have to run the show minus two of his closest aides being officially around him. With several Congress leaders greedily vying for ministerial and official positions, which are yet to be filled, Amarinder has his hands full.
(Jaideep Sarin can be conacted at [email protected])
–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.