Caste census necessary to know exact number of people from OBC, SC and ST communities: Priyanka
Damoh (MP) (PTI): Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday once again pitched for a caste census, saying the exercise was necessary to know the exact number of people from OBC, SC and ST communities in the country so that policies can be framed accordingly to provide benefits to them.
She was addressing a public meeting at Damoh in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.
"What is the meaning of a caste census? We want to know how many people are there in the country from Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities. If the government doesn't know their exact number, how will it give justice to them?" she asked.
The caste census conducted in Bihar revealed that there are 84 per cent OBCs and Dalits in the state, she said.
"But when you look at the higher posts in the country, you will find that there is no representation for them (these communities) there.
Ninety per cent of these positions do not have people from these communities. If 84 per cent people belong to this category, then they should be given representation," she said.
"When we talk about conducting a caste census, they (BJP government) turn silent, although they are organising big events...," she alleged.
On the issues of unemployment and inflation, Vadra said, "First, the government closed public sector undertakings (PSUs) and sold them to its friends. Later, it implemented demonetisation and rolled out GST which was followed by COVID-19 pandemic...All these things have broken the backbone of the people of the country."
Vadra also slammed the BJP government in the state for introducing the Ladli Behna Yojana, under which women are given financial assistance, just two months ahead of assembly elections.
"Do you consider them (women) fools and think that they don't understand all these things? What have they (BJP) done in the last 18 years of being in power?" Gandhi asked.
In the last three years, the BJP government in the state provided only 21 jobs, despite the fact that a large number of posts, including those of doctors and police, are lying vacant, she claimed.
Due to lack of development in the Bundelkhand region of the state, a large number of people migrated from this area in search of jobs, she said.
Gandhi advised people to become aware so that they can fight for their rights, and urged them to vote for the Congress for their better future.
The rally was held to campaign for Congress candidate and sitting MLA Ajay Tandon. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded former finance minister Jayant Malaiya from this seat.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
