National
BJP sends emissary as TMC, CPI-M support OROP protest
New Delhi: Political support poured in on Wednesday for ex-servicemen demanding the implementation of the ‘One Rank One Pension’ scheme, even as the BJP sent party leader Vijay Goel to assure the veterans on their demand.
While Anna Hazare said he would arrive at Jantar Mantar to join the ex-servicemen’s protest on July 26, Trinamool Congress and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) too voiced their support for the veterans, protesting here since June 14.
Goel met the agitating ex-servicemen on Wednesday – the 32nd day of their protest – and assured them that the central government was working towards implementing the scheme.
The ex-servicemen have been resorting to a relay hunger strike since June 15.
“I met the ex-servicemen today on the OROP issue. Many of them have faith that the Modi government will implement it, but they are questioning why it has been delayed,” Goel said in a tweet.
Maj. Gen Satbir Singh (retd), chairman of the Indian ex-Servicemen Movement, told IANS that Goel assured them that OROP will be implemented.
“He assured that the prime minister will give us the OROP. We told him the delay is not acceptable; it should have happened long back,” Singh told IANS.
“We conveyed that if the implementation (of OROP) is announced, we will end the agitation. If there is further delay, we will like to know what is the reason for the delay,” he said.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien met the protesting veterans on Wednesday and conveyed the support of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for their cause.
United Front of Ex-Servicemen Morcha (UFESM) spokesperson Col. Anil Kaul (retd) told IANS they also got a letter of support from CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury.
“We have urged them (political leaders) to raise the issue in parliament,” Singh told IANS.
The ex-servicemen are demanding that the government give them a definite date for OROP implementation and that the nature of the scheme should not be changed.
Currently, the pension for retired personnel is based on the pay commission recommendations in force at the time of their retirement.
This leads to a difference in pension for officers of the same rank who retire on different dates.
National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.