National
Tight security in Amritsar ahead of Trudeau visit
Amritsar/Chandigarh, Feb 20 (IANS) Tight security was in place in and around this holy city for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to the Golden Temple complex on Wednesday.
Government security agencies and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) officials were on Tuesday working to ensure the visit to the Sikh shrine goes without hindrance or controversy since radical Sikhs may seek to rake up the issue of a separate Sikh homeland “Khalistan”.
Hundreds of personnel of Punjab Police and other security agencies were stationed at the Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport near here, and on the road from the airport to the Golden Temple complex and other areas Trudeau is expected to visit.
Trudeau, on a eight-day visit to India, will arrive in Amritsar on Wednesday from Mumbai and offer prayers at the Golden Temple or “Harmandar Sahib” — the holiest Sikh shrine.
The visit holds political and social significance in Canada as that country has a substantial Indian diaspora, a majority of them from Punjab.
Trudeau, according to police sources, has asked local authorities to let him and his family, including three minor children, to enjoy the spirituality of the Golden Temple during the visit.
He will be received at the Golden Temple entrance by SGPC President Gobind Singh Longowal.
Radical groups like the Dal Khalsa want to raise the issue of self-determination for the Sikhs during the visit.
Amritsar Police Commissioner S.S. Srivastava said adequate security arrangements have been made for the Canadian Prime Minister’s visit.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday said he will meet Trudeau during his visit to Amritsar.
Amarinder Singh tweeted that he was looking forward to “one-on-one” meeting with the Canadian leader and said he was hopeful the meeting will help strengthen close India-Canadian business ties and people-to-people relations.
There was uncertainty over Amarinder Singh’s meeting with Trudeau as the former had refused to meet Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan, the first Sikh Defence Minister of a Western country, during a visit to Punjab in April last year.
Amarinder Singh had labelled Sajjan and other Canadian Ministers of Indian origin as “Khalistani sympathisers”.
Sajjan and three other Canadian federal ministers of Punjab origin are travelling with Trudeau during the visit.
Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said his group hopes Trudeau’s visit to the Golden Temple would be a “historic one” in promoting Sikh-Canadian relations.
–IANS
js/tsb/sac
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.