UP political leaders, officials to support e-rickshaw driver who takes his toddler daughter to work
Ballia: Pictures and videos of an e-rickshaw driver ferrying passengers with his one-year-old daughter strapped to his body in this Uttar Pradesh district have gone viral on social media, catching the attention of officials.
With his daughter strapped to his chest, Kamlesh Verma (40) has been ferrying passengers in his e-rickshaw since February. The local media recently featured him in an article, which caught the attention of the administration and political leaders.
The district administration has assured Verma of all possible help and benefits under government schemes. People's representatives and social workers have also come forward to extend a helping hand.
A resident of Chiranji Chhapra village located within the Dokati police station limits, Verma lost his wife six months ago. With his elderly mother undergoing an eye surgery, there was no one to take care of his daughter at home and thus, Verma was forced to take the child along with him for earning a livelihood.
"There is no one else in the family to take care of her. I have to carry my daughter with me to work. My wife died about six months ago after falling off a train and my aged mother also had to go for an eye operation," Verma told PTI.
He said he leaves for work with his daughter at 6 am every day. He keeps a bottle of milk with him to feed the child.
"I am doubling up as both her mother and father. The child has also adapted to living with me. She starts crying sometimes but now, it is not a problem to pacify her. Earlier, it was difficult to manage everything," Verma said.
District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar told PTI that the matter has come to his notice through the media.
"Every possible help will be provided to Verma from the administration. I will ensure that he gets pension, a ration card and benefits of government schemes. I will talk to him and try to ensure a good upbringing of the child," he said.
People's representatives and social workers have also come forward to help the e-rickshaw driver. Local MLA Jai Prakash Anchal said the pictures and videos of Verma driving his e-rickshaw with his daughter strapped to his chest can melt anyone's heart.
He said he will provide financial assistance to Verma and help him in every possible way.
Local MP Virendra Singh Mast's private secretary Aman Singh said he would try to get a house for Verma.
"He drives an e-rickshaw on rent. I will try to get him to apply for a bank loan so that he can buy an e-rickshaw," Singh said.
Manish Singh, associated with an organisation engaged in social work, said he will collect donations from the members of the public to help Verma.
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
