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Those trying to separate Kashmir from India will never succeed: Farooq
New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, who was heckled during Eid prayers at a shrine in Srinagar on Wednesday, said people responsible for it do not count for all Kashmiris and those trying to separate Kashmir from India will never succeed.
Abdullah, who was heckled apparently over raising “Bharat Mata ki Jai” slogans during a prayer meeting for former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Monday, said he was not afraid of people attacking him for the slogan.
“I am not afraid, so why worry about it? We are part of this nation, we have been for the past 70 years. We should not be afraid of such turbulence. Instead, we should have the tolerance to face them,” he said.
“If I do anything wrong, people should have the guts to tell me where I am wrong,” he added.
He also took a dig at those who preach separatism in the state.
“Take it from me, you will never succeed. You are bound to fail. You will never be able to separate the state from the rest of the country,” Abdullah in an interview with CNN News18.
Abdullah was heckled amid sloganeering even before the imam leading the congregational prayers could begin the Eid sermon at the Hazratbal shrine. Dozens of youth also hurled shoes and disrupted the congregation forcing the former leader to leave the prayer ground.
“These are people who were not in the right mental state because they would not have disturbed on Eid namaz if they were Muslims,” Abdullah said.
Asked if the Kashmiri people let him down by disrupting the congregation, he said that a handful of people do not count all Kashmiris.
“It is just a few urchins who do these things and not all Kashmiris,” the National Conference (NC) leader said.
“There are some who have gone off the track. They will come back and they will learn that they were wrong. They should also remember that a nation must have unity among all religions. We should be one united nation with all religions, all people and all races,” he said.
–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.