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Speaker cannot hoist national flag on August 15 in Parrikar’s absence: Congress
Panaji, Aug 13 (IANS) Claiming violation of privilege of the executive, the Congress in Goa has demanded that Speaker of the Goa legislative assembly Pramod Sawant should not hoist the national flag on Independence Day in the absence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
Parrikar is currently undergoing a second round of treatment in the US.
In a letter written to Sawant, state Congress president Girish Chodankar said on Monday, that if the Speaker does go ahead and unfurl the flag on August 15, “the image and independence of the office of the Speaker” would be in question.
“Hoisting of the flag is a privilege of the executive, of which the Speaker is not a part, as the Office of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly is an independent authority and not a part of the government under the Constitution. The Speaker is required not to be partisan and therefore the Speaker cannot substitute the Chief Minister who is the Chief Executive in the State,” Chodankar said in a letter to the Speaker.
Sawant has been nominated by Parrikar to chair the Independence Day function on August 15 and unfurl the national flag. The decision has triggered controversy with a city lawyer also petitioning the Bombay High Court bench in Goa, claiming the act would be a violation of executive privilege.
Chodankar in his letter has said that the Speaker is a high constitutional office and is not part of the government or executive and reading out the achievements of the Government and future state agenda would “damage the institution of the Speaker”.
“Your consent for hoisting the flag and substituting the Chief Minister very clearly discloses your bias and partisan nature,” the letter also states, requesting Sawant to withdraw his consent for hoisting the national flag at the state celebrations in Panaji on August 15.
Sawant has maintained that it is a matter of pride for him, that the Chief Minister has given him the responsibility of hoisting the national flag and has also thanked Parrikar for the honour.
“The Congress makes many demands. But it is not the case that all the demands are correct. Chief Minister has allotted me this responsibility as a Speaker of the state legislative assembly. That is his right to decide who should be carrying out the flag hoisting. His faith in me is a matter of pride for me,” he told reporters.
–IANS
maya/pgh/bg
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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.