Friends,

Many people are unaware of the fact that 80 out of 100 farmers in the country are small farmers. They have less than two hectares of land. Can you imagine the number of these small farmers is more than 10 crores? This small piece of land is the source of their entire life. This is their life and they make a living for themselves and their families with the help of this small land. The division of families from generation to generation is making this land smaller.

Therefore, we have worked all-round on providing seeds, insurance, markets and savings to overcome the challenges of small farmers of the country. Along with good quality seeds, the government has also provided facilities like neem coated urea, soil health cards, micro irrigation etc to farmers. We have given 22 crore soil health cards to farmers. As a result, agricultural production has also increased due to this scientific campaign.

Friends,

We have made the crop insurance scheme more effective. More farmers have been brought under this purview. Old rules were also changed so that more and more farmers could get compensation easily at the time of disaster. As a result, our farmer brothers and sisters have received compensation of more than one lakh crore rupees in the last four years. We have also extended insurance and pension facilities to small farmers and farm workers. To meet the needs of small farmers, 1.62 lakh crore rupees were transferred directly into their bank accounts.

Friends,

Many steps were also taken so that the farmers get the right price for their produce in return for their hard work. The country strengthened its rural market infrastructure. We have not only increased the MSP, but also created record government procurement centers. The procurement of the produce by our government has broken the records of the last several decades. We have given a platform to the farmers to sell their produce anywhere by connecting more than 1,000 mandis of the country with the e-NAM scheme. Along with this, we also spent crores of rupees on modernization of agricultural mandis across the country.

Friends,

Today the agriculture budget of the central government has increased five times as compared to earlier. Every year more than Rs.1.25 lakh crore is being spent on agriculture. Under the agriculture infrastructure fund worth one lakh crore rupees, arrangements are being made for storage of produce near the villages and farms and expansion of many facilities like making available agricultural equipment rapidly.

The campaign to create 10,000 FPOs (Farmers Producers Organisations) is also underway to empower small farmers. About 7,000 crore rupees are being spent on this too. The allocation of Micro Irrigation Fund has also been doubled to 10,000 crore rupees. We also doubled the crop loan, which will be Rs 16 lakh crore this year. Now our farmers associated with fish farming have also started getting the benefit of Kisan Credit Cards. That is, our government is taking every possible step in the interest of farmers. It is working sincerely to improve the economic condition of the farmers and strengthen their social status.

Friends,

Three agricultural laws were introduced as part of this great campaign to improve the condition of the farmers. The aim was that the farmers of the country, especially the small farmers, should be empowered and they should get the right price for their produce and more options to sell their produce. For years, this demand was continuously being made by the farmers, agricultural experts, agricultural economists and the farmers’ organizations of the country. In the past also, many governments had brainstormed on this issue. This time also, there was debate in Parliament following which these laws were introduced. A large number of farmers and several farmers’ organizations across the country welcomed and supported it. I am very grateful to all of them and want to thank them.

Friends,

Our government brought in the new laws with a good intention, full sincerity and complete dedication for the welfare of farmers, especially for small farmers, in the interest of the agriculture and the country and for the bright future of the poor in villages. But we have not been able to explain to some farmers such a sacred thing which is absolutely pure and for the benefit of the farmers despite our efforts.

Even though only a section of farmers was protesting, it was still important for us. Agricultural economists, scientists, progressive farmers also tried hard to make them understand the importance of agricultural laws. We kept on explaining to them with utmost humility and with an open mind. Individual and group interactions also continued through various mediums. We did not leave any stone unturned to understand the arguments of the farmers.

The government also agreed to change the provisions of the laws on which they had objections. We also proposed suspending these laws for two years. In the meantime, this matter also went to the Hon’ble Supreme Court. All these things are in front of the country, so I will not go into further details.

Friends,

While apologizing to the countrymen, today I want to say sincerely that perhaps there must have been some deficiency in our penance that we could not explain the truth like the light of the lamp to the farmer brothers.

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A statement from the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella platform for farm unions, said cultivators would gather in Lucknow in thousands for a mahapanchayat on November 22 to demand a legal guarantee on MSP. An MSP is a floor rate for farm produce meant to help avoid distress sale.

The SKM also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for skipping any comment on the MSP issue, while announcing his decision on Friday to roll back the farm laws in a nationally televised speech.

“While the Prime Minister of India announced his Government’s decision to repeal 3 black farm laws, he chose to remain silent on the pending demands of farmers,” a joint statement of key farm unions said.

The SKM also demanded sacking of Union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra Teni. The minister’s son had been arrested after his vehicle ploughed through farmers returning from a protest in UP’s Lakhimpur Kheri. Eight people were killed in the incident. The farm unions said, besides a law on MSPs, they want all cases filed against farmers to be withdrawn unconditionally.

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10 Additional Judges elevated to become Judges of Bombay High Court

The President of India, in exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution of India, appointed S/Shri Justices Avinash Gunwant Gharote, Nitin Bhagawantrao Suryawanshi,  Anil Satyavijay Kilor, Milind Narendra Jadhav, Mukund Govindrao Sewlikar, Virendrasingh Gyansingh Bisht, Debadwar Bhalchandra Ugrasen,  Smt. Mukulika Shrikant Jawalkar, Surendra Pandharinath Tavade, and  Nitin Rudrasen Borkar, Additional Judges of the Bombay High Court, to be Judges of the Bombay High Court. A notification in this regard was issued by Department of Justice, Ministry of Law& Justice today.

Shri Justice Avinash Gunwant Gharote, B.Sc., LL.B., was enrolled as an Advocate on 23.10.1986. He practiced before the Bombay High Court at Nagpur Bench in Civil, Arbitration, Constitutional and Criminal matters. His specialization was in Civil and Arbitration laws. He was appointed as Additional Judge, Bombay High Court for a period of 2 years with effect from 23.08.2019. His term as an Additional Judge will expire on 22.08.2021.

Shri Justice Nitin Bhagawantrao Suryawanshi, B.S.L., LL.B., was enrolled as an Advocate on 05.08.1988. He practiced before the Bombay High Court at Aurangabad Bench in Civil, Criminal, Constitutional, Labour, Service etc. matters. His specialization was in Criminal and Constitutional laws. He was appointed as Additional Judge, Bombay High Court for a period of 2 years with effect from 23.08.2019. His term as an Additional Judge will expire on 22.08.2021.

Shri Justice Anil Satyavijay Kilor, B.Com., LL.B., was enrolled as an Advocate on 25.06.1992. He practiced before the Bombay High Court at Nagpur Bench in Civil, Criminal, Constitutional, Labour and Service matters. His specialization was in Constitutional and Service Laws. He served as Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor, High Court at Nagpur Bench from 2000-2005. He was appointed as Additional Judge, Bombay High Court for a period of 2 years with effect from 23.08.2019. His term as an Additional Judge will expire on 22.08.2021.

Shri Justice Milind Narendra Jadhav, B.Sc., LL.M., was enrolled as an Advocate on 10.02.1998. He practiced before the Supreme Court of India, Bombay High Court and Subordinate Courts/Tribunals in Bombay in Civil, Constitutional, and Land matters. His specialization was in Land Acquisition, Writ Petitions & Land Revenue and Town Planning cases. He was appointed as Additional Judge, Bombay High Court for a period of 2 years with effect from 23.08.2019. His term as an Additional Judge will expire on 22.08.2021.

Shri Justice Mukund Govindrao Sewlikar, B.Com., LL.B., was born on 21.09.1960 and enrolled as an advocate on 03.09.1984. He joined the Judicial Service on 10.10.1990. He served as Judicial Officer in various courts in Maharashtra State. He was appointed as Additional Judge, Bombay High Court for a period of 2 years with effect from 05.12.2019. His term as an Additional Judge will expire on 04.12.2021.

Shri Justice Virendrasingh Gyansingh Bisht, B.Sc., LL.B., M.I.R.P.M. (Master of Industrial Relation and Personal Management) was enrolled as an Advocate on 29.11.1985. He joined the Judicial Service on 10.08.1990. He served as Judicial Officer in various courts in Maharashtra State. He was appointed as Additional Judge, Bombay High Court for a period of 2 years with effect from 05.12.2019. His term as an Additional Judge will expire on 04.12.2021.

Shri Justice Debadwar Bhalchandra Ugrasen, B.Com., LL.B., enrolled as an Advocate on 03.07.1985. He joined the Judicial Service on 21.05.1992. He served as Judicial Officer in various courts in Maharashtra State. He was appointed as Additional Judge, Bombay High Court with effect from 05.12.2019. His term as an Additional Judge will expire on 16th June, 2021 i.e. his date of superannuation.

Smt. Justice Mukulika Shrikant Jawalkar, M.Com., LL.B. & LL.M, enrolled as an Advocate on 21.09.1989. She joined the Judicial Service on 02.05.2008. She served as Judicial Officer in various courts in Maharashtra State. She was appointed as Additional Judge, Bombay High Court for a period of 2 years with effect from 05.12.2019. Her term as an Additional Judge will expire on 04.12.2021.

Shri Justice Surendra Pandharinath Tavade, B.Com., LL.B., enrolled as an Advocate on 12.07.1984. He joined the Judicial Service on 03.09.1990. He served as Judicial Officer in various courts in Maharashtra State and as Registrar, Original Side, Inspection-I and as Registrar General, Bombay High Court. He was appointed as Additional Judge, Bombay High Court for a period of 2 years with effect from 05.12.2019. His term as an Additional Judge will expire on 04.12.2021.

Shri Justice Nitin Rudrasen Borkar, LL.B., was enrolled as an advocate on 08.08.1995. He joined the Judicial Service on 02.05.2008. He served as Judicial Officer in various courts in Maharashtra State. He was appointed as Additional Judge, Bombay High Court for a period of 2 years with effect from 05.12.2019. His term as an Additional Judge will expire on 04.12.2021.

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BY VEDIKA CHAUBEY  ADVOCATE MUMBAI

The victim was offered guava as the accused took her to his home. What followed was an unprecedented and traumatic experience which rolled out into a legal battle for 4 years. Unfortunately enough, the battle did not end when the verdict was announced but begun from the very controversial verdict. With the recent infamous “skin-to-skin” verdict doing rounds on media and gaining hatred, disbelief and distrust in the judiciary, the society is seen collectively condemning and fighting back. The layman’s version of the verdict sounds extremely treacherous, but people with legal knowledge might look at it at a less hateful manner. Although, it stands clear that the verdict is condemnable and shameful. No mother will wait for “skin-to-skin contact” or the accused to “remove clothes” of her child for the crime to be defined as a “sexual assault”.

Justice Pushpa Ganediwala, who was awarded gold medals in her B.Com, L.L.B. and L.L.M. examinations,  passed the order that act of groping the 12-year-old girl’s breast did not constitute sexual assault punishable with POCSO but instead constituted the offence of outraging a woman’s modesty under section 354 of IPC. The reason being, according to the Court, the girl reportedly had her top on and since there was no “skin to skin contact”, the groping could not be ruled as an “assault”.

Section 354 of IPC states that “whoever assaults or uses criminal force to any woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage her modesty, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than one year but which may extend to five years, and shall also be liable to fine.” Whereas, POCSO Act defines sexual assault as when someone “with sexual intent touches the vagina, penis, anus or breast of the child or makes the child touch the vagina, penis, anus or breast of such person or any other person or does any other act with sexual intent which involves physical contact without penetration is said to commit sexual assault”.

Hence, the Court noted that this “physical contact” mentioned in the definition of sexual assault must be “skin to skin” or direct physical contact. For it to come under POCSO definition of “sexual assault”, the court would require “stricter proof and serious allegations” which can amount to a minimum of 3-5 years in prison. How ridiculous is it to say that a crime of this scale happening to a 12-year-old girl is not “serious” enough ? The Supreme Court further stayed the Bombay High Court’s controversial order acquitting an accused. “Bombay High Court has apparently acquitted the accused under section 8 of POCSO (punishment for sexual assault) on the ground that the accused had no sexual intent to commit offence under POCSO because there was no skin to skin contact. Attorney General submitted that the order in question is unprecedented and is likely to set a dangerous precedent. We permit A G Venugopal to file a petition against the said order. In the meanwhile, we stay the acquittal of the accused with respect to the offence under section 8 of the POCSO act. Issue notice to accused returnable in two weeks,” the top court ordered.

Being a family lawyer and practicing law, I find this verdict not only personally threatening but also disastrous as it paves way for many such crimes to be neglected, under-punished and safeguarded. At one hand we are encouraging safety of women and the rights of the girl child and on the other, we see a verdict destroying the very purpose of it. I am a mother of two daughters and I solidarily stand with all those mothers who are struck with shock, disbelief and fear for their kids in the light of this judgment. A crime of this scale is heinous and must be treated so, on not treating which can lead to unprecedented harm to the victim and the society at large.

I have encountered a case of a 3-year-old girl, who has been molested by her own uncle since she was 1.5 years old. To have a family member molest her, was unimaginable for her mother or anybody for that matter. Her working mother never sensed or thought of the unimaginable until the girl started doing it with her small Doll when she was 2.5 years of age. It came as a shock to her mother and to clarify she immediately took her girl to the doctor. The doctor confirmed her that though she is not the victim of rape but she will be the one very soon. “Someone has been trying to penetrate into her since long” said the doctor to the mother. The girl’s own uncle had been desperately trying to remove her clothes and sexually assault her in absence of the mother. Then mother pursued it further and put the uncle behind bars. Interestingly, to the mother’s shock, her husband and father of the girl have been helping the accused uncle to get him out of jail and trying hard for getting his bail giving several medical reasons. These cases are heart-wrenching to listen to, and many like this do not even get filed.

As parents, we need to destroy these elements by reporting about them and teach our sons what to do and what not to do. Our girls have been fighting, are fighting and will keep on fighting for their rights until the men are not taught what not to do. With the amount of mental trauma the victim goes through, or the little knowledge she has as she is too young to understand that what is a “bad touch” or an undesirable act, no case can be called “not serious enough” to qualify as a sexual assault. With this controversial case, two things will be sure- what function does the skin to skin touch play, if at all it and that the judiciary is capable of passing such heinous verdicts if not intervened by the Supreme Court. These very instances give a chance to the termites in our society. We have in many ways progressed as a liberal society towards gender equality and many milestone judgments. But this judgment shook the hopeful self inside us. There has been a ray of hope at the end of the tunnel as the Supreme Court stays the verdict passed by the infamous Justice Pushpa Ganediwala.

Few details about WHO IS Justice Pushpa Ganediwala :

Apart from gold medalist in her examinations, she has cleared the NET-SET Examination on the very first attempt. She practiced in Amravati District Court and also she was on the panel of many banks and insurance companies. Not only this, she was an Honorary lecturer in various colleges for giving lectures to M.B.A. and L.L.M. students. She was directly appointed as District Judge in the year 2007 and held postings as City Civil Court, Mumbai, District Court and Family Court at Nagpur, Joint Director of Maharashtra Judicial Academy, Principal District & Sessions Judge at Nagpur, Registrar General of High Court of Judicature at Bombay, Principal Judge at City Civil Court, Mumbai. Then, she was appointed as judge of Bombay High Court on 13^th February, 2019.

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President Erdogan made his announcement, just an hour after the court ruling was revealed, despite international warnings not to change the status of the nearly 1,500-year-old monument, revered by Christians and Muslims alike.

“The decision was taken to hand over the management of the Ayasofya Mosque…to the Religious Affairs Directorate and open it for worship,” the decision signed by Erdogan said.

Erdogan had earlier proposed restoring the mosque status of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, a focal point of both the Christian Byzantine and Muslim Ottoman empires and now one of the most visited monuments in Turkey.

The United States, Greece and church leaders were among those to express concern about changing the status of the huge 6th Century building, converted into a museum in the early days of the modern secular Turkish state under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

“It was concluded that the settlement deed allocated it as a mosque and its use outside this character is not possible legally,” the Council of State, Turkey’s top administrative court in Ankara, said in its ruling.

“The cabinet decision in 1934 that ended its use as a mosque and defined it as a museum did not comply with laws,” it said, referring to an edict signed by Ataturk.

The association which brought the court case, the latest in a 16-year legal battle, said Hagia Sophia was the property of the Ottoman leader who captured the city in 1453 and turned the already 900-year-old Byzantine church into a mosque.

Erdogan, a pious Muslim, threw his weight behind the campaign to convert the building before local elections last year.

The Ottomans built minarets alongside the vast domed structure, while inside they added huge calligraphic panels bearing the Arabic names of the early Muslim caliphs alongside the monument’s ancient Christian iconography.

The Russian Orthodox Church said it regretted that the court did not take its concerns into account when making its ruling and said the decision could lead to even greater divisions, the TASS news agency reported.
Previously, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual head of some 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide and based in Istanbul, said converting it into a mosque would disappoint Christians and would “fracture” East and West.

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Philanthropist Prem Dariyani honoured for his dedication towards INDIAN ARMY

Prem Dariyani donated six acres of land for Army Low College

Supreme Court Justice Bhushan Gavai has advised the lawyers that they should not consider their work as just a business but it is a social responsibility. Lawyers should never forget their social responsibility.

Justice Gavai’s remarks can also be seen in the context of the recent controversy of lawyers in Delhi. Justice Gavai, while launching the IPL Cricket League of Lawyers on behalf of Vasantdada Pratishtha Law College and Western India Advocate Association in Mumbai said that the lawyers must also understand their social responsibility. He also said that the lawyers contributed to the freedom struggle movement and even today many big lawyers are working in the political social field. Similarly, new students should also feel social responsibility. In the lawyers’ IPL, 82 teams from West India are participating.

On this occasion, Justice Gavai also honoured Prem Daryani, trustee of Radha Kalindas Dariyani Charitable Trust. For showing gratitude towards the soldiers of the country, Prem Dariyani has dedicated six acres of land near the Puna to the Indian Army where the Army La College has been built.

Accepting honour Prem Daryani said, “The army sacrifice for the country and our soldiers serve the country day and night. They do not even care about their life while protecting us and society. We also have a duty towards the soldiers of our country and in honour of them; Army Law Colleges have been started. All the people of the society should together fulfil their duty towards the soldiers of our country ”.

Justice Bhushan Gavai said, “This work of Prem Dariyani is a beautiful message for the society, we should play our responsibility and contribute towards the society”.

The judges of Mumbai High Court Justice Ranjit Kamble, Justice Ranjit More, Justice SK Shinde, Justice Sarang Kotwal. Justices MS Karnik and Delhi Lokpal Commission member Justice Dilip Bhosle were present in this function.

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Ms. Sitharaman has asked an official committee that includes the Banking Secretary and Department of Economic Affairs Secretary in the Finance Ministry, as well as a Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor, to check the legal framework governing co-operative banks .

All options, including a fresh look at the Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance (FRDI) Bill, are under consideration, the Minister said.

While addressing a press conference in Mumbai Ms. Sitharaman also saw protesting PMC depositors at the BJP’s State headquarters and met them 

She had assured them that she will have a fresh word with the RBI Governor to try to hasten the lifting of withdrawal restrictions of ₹25,000 currently applicable. While the RBI regulates multi-State rural co-operative banks and urban co-operative banks, their registration is governed by the Rural Development and Urban Development Ministries, the Minister said .

“Therefore, in such instances, where there is some malpractice and the boards get bypassed, the Reserve Bank takes care of placing a resolution professional that takes care of the matter. I also told the affected PMC customers this doesn’t mean that the Government of India is doing nothing about it,” Ms. Sitharaman said

 “I have asked the Secretaries in Ministry’s for banking and economic affairs to work with the Ministries of Rural and Urban Development to study in detail what is happening in multi-State co-operatives that also run banks. The RBI will also be represented of course, to understand where there were shortcomings and, if necessary, look at the ways in which the respective Acts can be amended,” Ms. Sitharaman said.

“If the amendments are going to help us curb malpractices, with better regulation and empowerment of the regulator, then we would like to do that. Necessary legislative steps will be taken to prevent such things from happening again in future and allow the regulator even better, if there are shortcomings,” the minister stressed, adding that the government will work to bring in necessary changes in the forthcoming Winter session of Parliament.

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