National
Hazare breaks fast after government assurance (Second Lead)
New Delhi, March 29 (IANS) Social activist Anna Hazare on Thursday called off his hunger strike after the Central government “in principle” agreed to his demands but refrained from providing a roadmap on the implementation in a time-bound manner.
Hazare, who had earlier demanded the timeline along with the action plan, said the Narendra Modi government assured him that promises would be fulfilled “soon” even as he warned the government of another agitation if the action is not taken in the six months’ time.
A delegation of ministers led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Hazare on Thursday evening and informed him that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) was “positive” about the demands of setting up of a Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states, implementation of the M.S. Swaminathan Committee report for fair crop prices and new electoral reforms.
Subsequently, Hazare broke his seven-day long fast with a glass of juice in presence of Fadnavis, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan among others.
“The government has agreed to give 1.5 times the input cost (for agricultural produce). Also, government has said the Lokpal would be appointed soon. It says the electoral reforms come under the Election Commission’s jurisdiction,” Hazare told the gathering of around 3,000 protestors at the iconic Ramlila Maidan.
“The government has said that the promises would be fulfilled soon. I will wait for six months. If the government fails to do it till then, I will start agitation in September. However, Fadnavis says it will not even take six months. Let us see.”
Fadnavis said the Prime Minister’s Office had in letter to Hazare conveyed which components would be considered while fixing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for agriculture produce.
“The central government has been positive about Anna ji’s demands. We have explained to him the factors to be considered while fixing MSP. Also, a committee has been constituted in accordance with his demand of more autonomy to the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP),” he said.
Fadnavis said the other demands of electoral reforms including “right to recall” would be forwarded to the Election Commission.
“The government will take speedy action on these issues. So Anna ji need not hold another fast,” Fadnavis said.
Soon after Fadnavis finished his address, a protester hurled a shoe towards the stage with unknown motives. While no one was hurt, police detained the protestor immediately.
–IANS
spk/vd
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.