National
Kerala ‘bar scam’ whistleblower accuses CPI-M of ‘cheating’
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 13 (IANS) Whistle-blower bar owner Biju Ramesh, whose allegation about corruption led to the Congress-led UDF being voted out over the ‘bar scam’ that came to fore in 2014, on Tuesday accused the ruling CPI-M of cheating and not fulfilling the promise of reopening closed down bars.
Ramesh, who owned nine bars when the scam was unearthed, said the CPI-M State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had promised “when the Left comes to power, they will re-open the closed bars.”
“We believed what he assured… He promised us that if we stood firm on the allegations of the bribe against former Finance Minsiter K.M. Mani, they will re-open the closed bars when they come to power.
“But the CPI-M is on the verge of giving a clean chit to Mani in the ‘bar scam’ case, and this is a cheating,” said Ramesh.
In 2014, former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy closed down close to 700 bars in the state, leaving just around two dozen bars in only five star hotels.
After Ramesh’s expose on a TV channel, where he disclosed that he had paid a bribe to Mani in 2014 to re-open the closed bars, the former Minister resigned from his post in 2015.
The scam was used as a major campaign issue by the Left during the state election campaign in 2016. Chandy and the United Democratic Front won just 47 of the 140 seats in Kerala Assembly.
“By trying to patch up with Mani, they (CPI-M) have not just cheated me, but the people of the state also, as without the help of CPI-M, Mani will not be able to get out of the case,” added Ramesh.
When Mani had tried to present the state budget in 2015, the Left which was in opposition then, created a ruckus in the assembly, damaging the furniture including the Speaker’s chair.
–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.