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Advise PM for ordinance on SC/ST protection, Mevani tells Athavale
Gandhinagar, April 9 (IANS) Gujarat legislator and Dalit activist Jignesh Mevani on Monday asked Union Minister Ramdas Athavale to advise Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an ordinance vis-a-vis the SC/ST Act to ensure protection of the Dalits’ rights.
“Our stand is absolutely clear — we don’t believe in RSS ideology or any violence. We totally believe in the Constitution. Instead of advising me, Athavale ji should advise (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi to assure the Dalits across the country that their rights will be protected and that the Centre will bring in an ordinance on the issue before April 14, the birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar, should the apex court reject the review petition on the issue,” Mevani said.
Athavale had earlier advised Mevani to shun support to the Maoists groups which, he said, were anti-Dalits.
Athavale is founder-leader of the Republican Party of India (Athavale) and is Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment in the Modi government.
Dubbing Athavale, Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan and BJP MP Udit Raj as ‘hanumans’ of Modi, the Gujarat lawmaker said they should advise the Prime Minister and the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership to defend the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
“Athavale should also demand for the impeachment of two Supreme Court Justices who ruled in a case vis-a-vis the SC/ST Act. He should also advise persons who say there is nothing like secularism and that if the country needs to be saved, there should be no Muslims in India. He should also advise Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh people who want to change the Constitution.”
The Dalit leader said he believed in the Indian Constitution, while Athavale had gone ahead and forged an alliance with the BJP and RSS, who “have been talking of changing the basic structure of the Constitution”.
Athavale, who visited Surat on Sunday, said on the sidelines of an event that Patidar agitation leader Hardik Patel had contributed to Congress good show in the 2017 Gujarat Assembly elections.
He asked Patel to approach Modi for seeking reservation for his community rather than Congress President Rahul Gandhi who he said “did not have any power to do so”.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.