Nandini appointed exclusive ghee supplier for Tirupati amid controversy
Bengaluru: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has appointed Karnataka Milk Federation's Nandini as the exclusive supplier of ghee for the preparation of the famous Tirupati laddus. This decision comes amidst allegations concerning the use of substandard ingredients and animal fat in the laddu preparation.
KMF President Bheema Naik expressed pride in the appointment, stating, "It’s a proud moment for us that Nandini, the pride of Karnataka, will be part of the Tirupati laddus. We are happy to serve the Tirupati Tirumala Temple." After a lapse in supply due to failure to meet tender guidelines, KMF has resumed providing Nandini Ghee, with the first consignment delivered on Wednesday.
To ensure the quality of the ghee used, TTD has formed a four-member expert committee, including specialists such as Dr. Surendranath and Dr. Vijay Bhaskar Reddy, to oversee the procurement process.
In a related development, Karnataka has mandated testing of temple prasadam and specified the exclusive use of Nandini ghee in its preparation.
The controversy initially surfaced after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu alleged that the previous government under Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had compromised on the quality of ingredients used in the laddus. In response, Naidu announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team to probe these claims.
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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.
