Left-affiliated students' outfits demand action against RSS march on JNU campus
New Delhi, (PTI): Several students' outfits have raised their voice over a "Pathsanchalan" (march) organised by RSS volunteers on the JNU campus, seeking action against the organisers by the university administration.
Members of some Left-affiliated students' outfits claimed on Monday that it was the first time that such a parade was conducted by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus.
The march by the RSS volunteers in their trademark uniform was taken out on the campus on Sunday night and it concluded at the university's administrative block, said members of the organisation's students' wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
"The pathsanchalan was held by the RSS volunteers to mark Vijaya Dashami," said Vikas Patel, secretary of the JNU's ABVP unit.
No immediate reaction was available from the JNU administration over the march and whether any permission was sought for it by the organisers.
This was the first time in the history of the university that the RSS was allowed to organise a march on the campus, a representative of the Left-affiliated All India Students' Association (AISA) told PTI.
The swayamsevaks sung and chanted "communal songs and slogans" and held a gathering near the administrative block, where mobilisation has been prohibited by the Delhi High Court, AISA leaders alleged.
In a video shared with reporters by the JNU's Students' Federation of India (SFI) unit, people in the RSS uniform can be heard raising slogans such as "Jago to ek bar Hindu (rise up Hindus)" while they were seated near the administrative block.
The men can also be seen parading on the roads of the campus dressed in the traditional khaki attire of the RSS.
"It was for the first time that the RSS held a march on the JNU campus," AISA Delhi president Abhigyan claimed.
Protests within 100 metres of the administrative block were prohibited by the high court in 2017.
"For several years, the JNU administration has prohibited any form of mobilisation in this campus area. Student activists from various organisations have been fined and penalised for congregating in that area," the AISA said in a statement.
The students' outfit has demanded an explanation from the JNU administration over the march taken out by the RSS volunteers and suitable action against its organisers.
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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.
