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Issues of ethnic Tamils raised in Sri Lankan MPs meeting with Modi

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New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANS) Issues related to Tamils in Sri Lanka, including the urgent need for devolution of powers to the ethnic minority, came up at a meeting a parliamentary delegation from that country had with Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Monday.

An eight-member delegation headed by Parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya met Modi at his official residence when Tamil MPs sought India’s good offices to persuade Colombo to adopt the 13th amendment to the Constitution to devolve powers to the northern and eastern parts of the island nation heavily populated by the Tamils.

R. Sampanthan, Leader of the Opposition in Sri Lankan Parliament and from the Tamil National Alliance, and Douglas Devananda, MP from the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), voiced the Tamil position that there should be full implementation of the India-Sri Lanka Agreement of 1987 which spoke of devolving powers to the north and east of the island nation.

Devananda later said he also urged the Indian government to help construct one lakh more houses in Tamil areas and elsewhere for the rehabilitation of civilians following the end of the decades of ethnic conflict.

He also sought India’s help in the development of the Kankesanthurai port in Jaffna and introduction of air services between Tiruchirapalli in India and Palaly in Jaffna to enhance regional connectivity.

The delegation is on a five-day visit to India at the invitation of the Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan with a view to strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.

On the meeting with Modi, an official press release said the MPs noted the historical ties and shared spiritual and cultural heritage of India and Sri Lanka and expressed appreciation for the deepening of relations between the two countries in recent years.

They also noted the benefits from a number of people-centric development cooperation projects being carried out with India’s assistance in Sri Lanka.

They agreed that speedy implementation of joint economic projects will bring benefits to the economies and people of both the countries.

The Prime Minister welcomed the delegation and stressed the importance of such linkages.

He stated that the new initiatives for enhancing relations between provincial assemblies and local bodies of the two countries would deepen significantly the close people-to-people ties and trust between the two countries, the release said.

The delegation later called on President Ram Nath Kovind and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj,

The delegation will also visit Agra, Varanasi and Bengaluru.

–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

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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.

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