Congress slams Pakistan for dragging Rahul's name in petition moved in UN
New Delhi, Aug 28: The Congress slammed Pakistan on Wednesday for "mischievously" dragging party leader Rahul Gandhi's name in a petition reportedly moved in the United Nations to justify its "lies and misinformation" on Jammu and Kashmir.
The opposition party also demanded an apology from the ruling BJP for "doing cheap politics" on the issue.
In a statement, the Congress said Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions were and would always be an integral part of India, and it accused Pakistan of instigating violence in Jammu and Kashmir.
Gandhi tweeted on Wednesday that Jammu and Kashmir is India's internal matter and there is no room for Pakistan or any other country to intervene.
He also accused Pakistan of instigating and supporting violence in Jammu and Kashmir, and said the neighbouring country is known to be "the prime supporter of terrorism across the world".
Meanwhile, the BJP hit out at Gandhi, accusing him of "insulting" the country through his comments on Kashmir situation and giving Pakistan a "handle" to target India in the UN.
Senior BJP leader and Union minister Prakash Javadekar demanded an apology from Gandhi and the main opposition party, while describing the former Congress chief's remarks, in which he had spoken about reports of violence and death of people in Kashmir, as "most irresponsible politics" the country has witnessed.
"He has made a complete U-turn not due to his own will but due to circumstances and public pressure," Javadekar said.
The Congress leader's allegations about violence in Kashmir were wrong, he said, adding it was made because of that party's "vote bank" politics.
The Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala hit back at Javadekar, dubbing him a "misinformation minister" and one who has "lost his political balance".
"We think the BJP and its government need to introspect. How much will the BJP fall and lower its political stature? If they have a little realisation, they should come forward and apologise," he told reporters here.
Surjewala also accused Javadekar of trying to politicise a stand unitedly taken "for India, by Indians and in favour of the entire country in front of the world community".
"It is tragic that Prakash Javadekar is twisting a statement made by Rahul Gandhi, which reflects that the Indian National Congress and all other parties are united. We are in unison to take on the fake, false propaganda of Pakistan vis- -vis the state of Jammu and Kashmir," Surjewala said.
"We warn Pakistan and urge it that instead of ever questioning the status of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, they need to answer and set their own house in order. They need to answer vis- -vis human rights violations," he said.
The Congress spokesperson asserted that Gandhi has said violence in Kashmir is instigated and supported by terror groups in Pakistan that thrive under the political and military patronage of the neighbouring country's government and Islamabad should be told to desist from supporting terror activities on Indian soil.
"Does Prakash Javadekar have an objection to that? Is it not a statement that shows the consolidated and united face of India?" Surjewala posed.
"In fact, the Congress followed up Rahul Gandhi's statement and we categorically said that Pakistan should answer to the world about unpardonable and inhumane violations of human rights in Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir, in Gilgit, in Hunza and in Baltistan," he said.
Earlier, Gandhi tweeted that despite the fact that he disagreed with the BJP-led government on many issues, he is clear that Kashmir is India's internal issue and there is no room for Pakistan to interfere.
"I disagree with this government on many issues. But, let me make this absolutely clear: Kashmir is India's internal issue and there is no room for Pakistan or any other foreign country to interfere in it," he wrote on Twitter.
"There is violence in Jammu and Kashmir. There is violence because it is instigated and supported by Pakistan which is known to be the prime supporter of terrorism across the world," Gandhi wrote.
Surjewala said in a statement that the party had noticed "reports citing an alleged petition moved by Pakistani Government to United Nations on Jammu and Kashmir, wherein name of Rahul Gandhi has been mischievously dragged to justify the pack of lies and deliberate misinformation being spread by Pakistan".
"Let no one in the world be in doubt that Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh were, are and shall always remain an integral part of India. No amount of diabolical deception by Pakistan shall change this irrevocable truth," the statement read.
The neighbouring country also owed an explanation for the "designed persecution" of over seven crore Mohajirs (Muslim immigrants of multi-ethnic origin and their descendants, who migrated from various regions of India to Pakistan after the independence of Pakistan) and the killing of over 25,000 of them by its forces, Surjewala said in the statement.
"Let the world be reminded again that almost every terrorist organisation thrives in Pakistan under political and military patronage be it Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, Hizbul Mujahideen, Al-Qaeda or Taliban and its multiple offshoots," he said.
"We urge that Pakistan should answer these issues, both internally to its people as also to the international community, instead of raising the fake Kashmir bogey," Surjewala added.
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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.
