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Law should take its course, but no nun should be harassed: Yechury
Kolkata, July 12 (IANS) Terming the allegation of trafficking and selling of children against Missionaries of Charity “unbelievable”, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Thursday said the law should take its course but the nuns should not be harassed or prosecuted before the charge was proved.
Yechury said though the Marxists had differences with the MoC, they had the “highest respect” for them.
“Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity is a renowned and respected organisation. Despite our differences, we have the highest respect for them. It (the charge) is unbelievable. Let the law take its own course,” he told reporters here.
He said one should wait for the investigation.
“There should not be any harrasment of the nuns or prosecution just on the basis of heresay. Let the matter be investigated,” he said.
Yechury’s remarks came on a day West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of making “malicious attempts to malign” the Catholic order.
“Mother Teresa herself set up Missionaries of Charity. And now they are also not being spared. Malicious attempts to malign their name. The Sisters are being targeted. #BJP want to spare no one. Highly condemnable. Let MOC continue to do their work for the poorest of the poor,” Banerjee tweeted.
The two leaders’ comments followed complaints that trafficking and selling of children were rampant in Jharkhand’s Ranchi Nirmal Hriday, a Missionaries of Charity shelter home.
Jharkhand Police had arrested a nun and an employee of the Catholic Order last week for allegedly selling a child of an unwed mother for Rs 1.2 lakh to an Uttar Pradesh-based couple.
They also alleged that MoC was unable to provide records of births by 280 women at its homes in Ranchi.
According to police, 450 pregnant women were admitted in various homes, run by the Order founded by Mother Teresa, between 2015 and 2018, but there are records of only 170 childbirths and no information about the remaining 280.
The matter came to light when the couple, who had taken a newborn from the charity home in May, complained that they had paid Rs 1.2 lakh for medical care and delivery of the child, but the baby was taken back by the charity with assurances of returning it after court procedures.
The couple complained to the Child Welfare Society after they failed to get the child.
–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.