National
Mounting fascism curbing freedom in India: Kerala CM
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 2 (IANS) Increasing levels of fascism are curbing the freedom to write and speak freely and this needs to be challenged, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Friday.
After inaugurating the three-day Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters here, organised by the leading media house Mathrubhumi, the Marxist leader said: “Fascism is tightening in several areas like never before in our country.
“The need of the hour is to see that the freedom to write and express is strengthened. What we have seen of late in our country is that independent writers and journalists are being attacked and killed.
“Great icons like Dilip Kumar, Anand Patwardhan, Kamal Haasan have all had to face the wrath of certain undesirable elements,” said the leader of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).
“Slowly darkness has started to fall on our cultural fabric. That has to be prevented. It’s festivals like these which should take up these issues for discussion,” he said.
Vijayan appreciated the Mathrubhumi, a hugely popular media house in Kerala for its passion towards writers and promoting them right from their younger days.
Chairman and Managing Director of Mathrubhumi Printing and Publishing, M.P. Veerendra Kumar, who is also the Chairman of the Festival, said fascism should be defeated at any cost.
“It has now come to a stage where even one’s freedom to eat has come under threat. Festivals like these are not just to discuss these evils but it should be used to fight these evils,” he said.
Kumar last month quit as a Rajya Sabha member after his party leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar decided to join hands with the BJP-led NDA.
On the occasion, Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha member and a popular writer himself, Shashi Tharoor said a few years back he took part at the Hay Festival – a literary festival – for the first time.
“After two editions, the curse of commerce caught up with the festival as it was found that Thiruvananthapuram was an expensive destination. Now that you have gone forward by holding this, I wish it becomes a regular feature. It’s festivals like this we can showcase our state and also bring people from outside for a literary interaction,” said Tharoor.
More than 100 literary figures from 10 countries are taking part in the festival.
Earlier, Scottish historian and writer William Dalrymple led an enlightening session. Among others taking part include Ukrainian novelists Oksana Zabuzho and Andrei Kurkov, Ayesha Harruna Attah from Ghana and Malaysian novelist, poet and educator Bernice Chauly.
The three-day event is being held at five places. The various sessions include trends, ideas and genres ranging from fiction, poetry, non-fiction, politics, environment, travel and cinema.
The festival will include musical and visual performances, narrations, literary exercises, plays for children, augmented reality sessions and exploration of traditional Kerala cuisine along with interactive sessions for youth.
–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.