'Ladki Bahin Yojana' a beneficiary scheme for women, not discriminatory: HC
Mumbai (PTI): The Bombay High Court on Monday said the Maharashtra government's 'Ladki Bahin Yojana' is a beneficiary scheme for women and cannot be said to be discriminatory.
A division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by city-based Chartered Accountant Naveed Abdul Saeed Mulla, seeking to quash the scheme.
The bench said in what manner the government has to frame a scheme is out of the "judicial purview".
"It is a policy decision, so we cannot interfere unless there is violation of any fundamental rights," the court said.
The bench dismissed the PIL but said it was not imposing any cost on the petitioner.
Under the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, which was announced in the state budget, Rs 1,500 is slated to be transferred into the bank accounts of eligible women in the age group of 21 to 65 years whose family income was less than Rs 2.5 lakh.
The PIL claimed the scheme was politically motivated and was actually a "freebie", introduced by the government to "bribe voters".
The petitioner's advocate, Owais Pechkar, argued that taxpayers' money should not be used for such schemes.
The HC bench, however, questioned if the court could fix the priorities of schemes for the government.
The petitioner has to differentiate between a freebie and a social welfare scheme, it said.
"Can we (court) fix priorities of the government? Do not invite us into the political thicket...although it may be tempting for us," CJ Upadhyaya said.
"Every decision of the government of the day is political," he added.
The bench said as a court it cannot ask the government to introduce one scheme or the other.
Pechkar claimed the scheme discriminated among women as only those who earned less than Rs 2.5 lakh per year were eligible for its benefit.
To this, the HC questioned how could a woman earning Rs 2.5 lakh per annum be compared to one earning Rs 10 lakh per year.
"This is a beneficiary scheme for some women. How is it discrimination? Some woman earning Rs 10 lakh and another woman earning 2.5 lakh...do they fall under the same class or group? Equality has to be pleaded among equals. There is no discrimination," the HC said.
Some women earning less than others do not fall under the same group, hence "this kind of discrimination is permissible," it said.
The court said the scheme was introduced after a budgetary process.
"Allocation of funds for the scheme has been made in a budget. Budget-making is a legislative process. Can court interfere?" CJ Upadhyaya asked.
The bench said even if personally speaking it agrees with the petitioner, it cannot interfere legally.
"This is a welfare scheme targeting certain sections of society which for some reason is in a disadvantageous position. These are social welfare measures," the court said.
The petition had claimed that through the impugned government scheme "an additional burden is put on direct and indirect taxpayers/exchequers as the taxes are collected for infrastructure development and not for irrational cash schemes."
"Such kind of cash benefit scheme was synonym to bribery or gift to voters of certain class to vote in favour of a certain candidate on behalf of parties in the present coalition government contesting in the upcoming state assembly elections," the petition said.
It claimed such scheme was against provisions of the Representation of People Act, 1951 and amounted to "corrupt practice".
The PIL further claimed the scheme for women would cost around Rs 4,600 crore, and it is a "huge burden on the debt-ridden state of Maharashtra which is already in debt of Rs 7.8 lakh crore and therefore, same be quashed and set aside".
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Messi mania grips Kolkata as thousands welcome Argentine icon at 2.26 am
Kolkata (PTI): Thousands braved the December chill and waited past midnight to give a rousing welcome to Argentine superstar footballer Lionel Messi as he arrived in Kolkata for his whirlwind three-day, four-city GOAT India Tour 2025.
The Barcelona legend's 2.26 am touchdown in the early hours of Saturday sent the city into a frenzy. Gate 4 of the international arrivals turned into a roaring sea of chants, flags and flashing phones, with fans sprinting between gates for even a fleeting glimpse of their favourite star.
Children perched on shoulders and drums rolled as Messi was whisked out through the VIP gate under massive security. A heavy convoy then escorted him to his hotel, where another huge crowd was waiting deep into the night.
Barricades, police deployment, and non-stop cheering completed a citywide eruption of "Messi mania."
Messi arrived with long-time strike partner Luis Suárez and Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul. Over the next 72 hours, he will zip across Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi, meeting chief ministers, corporate leaders, Bollywood celebrities and eventually Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.
Sleepless wait ends in disappointment
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Despite keeping vigil through the night, the wait ended in disappointment for many fans as they could not catch a glimpse of their icon.
Heavy security meant Messi was whisked out of the airport and taken to his hotel around 3.30 am through a back entrance, giving hundreds of waiting supporters a complete miss.
Only a handful of lucky airport staff managed a fleeting glimpse of the Argentine superstar as he stepped off the private Gulfstream V, looking dapper in a black suit over a white T-shirt, before being driven straight off the tarmac.
The Hyatt Regency lobby turned chaotic as fans sprinted across corridors shouting "Messi! Messi!" that echoed well past dawn.
The lobby resembled an Argentine fan club, dotted with sky-blue jerseys, scarves and flags. Breast-feeding infants clung to mothers, children raced around, and exhausted supporters sank into lobby sofas as the frenzy built up.
Messi checked into Room 730, with the entire seventh floor sealed off to ensure no movement around his suite.
With security at its peak, some fans who could afford it booked rooms in the hotel to stay as close to Messi as possible.
A family from New Alipore checked in a day early just so that their son, Krish Gupta, a Cristiano Ronaldo fan, would not miss a Messi moment.
"I'm a die-hard Ronaldo fan, so what? His biggest rival is coming to my city and I cannot miss the moment. So we planned to stay in the hotel a day in advance," said Krish, a Class 9 student of Birla High School.
He roamed the coffee shop with his mother and elder sister, anxious for a peek at the icon.
"I just want to tell him to play football with me. And if I'm not successful, I will go to the gym tomorrow morning to catch a glimpse of him. I have my autograph book ready and hopefully I will get a selfie."
High hopes
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Satadru Dutta, the sole promoter of the tour who received Messi at the airport, said the moment was historic for Kolkata.
"In 2011, he had come after becoming the captain, but now he is coming after winning the World Cup and his eighth Ballon d'Or. So, this is really special. I don't think he will come again, so it's about celebration," Dutta told reporters.
He said Messi's presence could give Indian football a real push.
"Never ever have so many sponsors come together for a football star. You can say this is for Messi, but even if 10 per cent of that money comes to the development of Indian football, it would be very big. This statue that has come up and will be unveiled in the morning is also the first-of-its-kind in the world. Messi is set to leave a legacy behind this time," he added.
Security was tightened across the city ahead of Messi's GOAT India Tour, with policemen at every crossing, sniffer dogs checking vehicles and heightened surveillance around the hotel.
Staff were busy preparing the themed decor, including two large three-layered fondant cakes in Christmas colours.
Outside the airport and later near the hotel, massive crowds braved the winter chill to welcome Messi.
Fans waved Argentina flags and jerseys, screamed his name and broke into chants as emotions ran high, some clapping, some crying, many overwhelmed at witnessing a once-in-a-generation legend in their city.
The Hyatt Regency became the epicentre of the frenzy, with street vendors selling scarves, flags and Messi No 10 jerseys.
A few fans turned up in wigs and full Argentine colours. "This is a lifetime opportunity. We will not sleep tonight and will head straight to the stadium in the morning. Today is celebration day," said one fan.
The Itinerary
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Messi begins his GOAT India Tour on Saturday with a sponsors' meet-and-greet before heading to the Salt Lake Stadium for a tribute programme featuring music, dance and an exhibition match between Mohun Bagan 'Messi' All Stars and Diamond Harbour 'Messi' All Stars.
He is scheduled to arrive at 10.50 am for interactions with both teams, a felicitation of Bengal's Santosh Trophy-winning side and a "Master Class with Messi" for kids. Luis Suárez, Rodrigo De Paul and Shah Rukh Khan will join the proceedings, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other dignitaries invited.
Messi will take a lap of honour before a virtual unveiling of his 70-foot statue at Lake Town.
He will then depart for Hyderabad at 2.05 pm for the evening leg at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, featuring a short exhibition match, a five-minute appearance by Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, a football clinic and felicitation.
He then heads to Mumbai for his event at the Wankhede. The leg will also feature a 45-minute philanthropic fashion event with Suárez and De Paul, preceded by a Padel Cup at the CCI.
The tour ends in Delhi where Messi will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Minerva Academy's triple youth-trophy winners will be felicitated, followed by a nine-a-side celebrity match.
Kolkata's tryst with footballers
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Kolkata's bond with football royalty dates back to 1977 when Pele's New York Cosmos played a 2-2 draw against Mohun Bagan at Eden Gardens.
Pele returned in 2015 to greet the class of '77, telling the crowd: "You can never have another Pele."
Brazil's Dunga, Bebeto and Mauro Silva, and Colombia's René Higuita who showcased his scorpion-kick saves in 2012 all drew big turnouts. German great Oliver Kahn's 2008 farewell match at Salt Lake Stadium pulled more than one lakh spectators.
But no one stirred the city like Diego Maradona, whose 2008 and 2017 visits saw near-unprecedented crowds line the streets and stadiums. Uruguay's Diego Forlán, fresh from his Golden Ball win, received a similarly rousing welcome in 2010.
Then in 2011, Messi had visited the city captaining Argentina for the first time on foreign soil, leading them to a 1-0 win over Venezuela in an FIFA international friendly before a packed Salt Lake Stadium.
