Shameful that PM Modi more concerned about Israel than Manipur: Rahul
Aizawl (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday charged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was more concerned about happenings in Israel than in Manipur, which has been riven by an ethnic conflict since May this year.
Addressing a rally near Raj Bhavan here after undertaking a 2-km-long padayatra through the city roads, he said that neighbouring Manipur is no longer a unified single state, but has been divided into two states on ethnic lines.
Gandhi, who began a two-day visit to poll-bound Mizoram, also asserted that the Congress ushered in peace in the insurgency-hit northeastern state with the signing of a peace accord in 1986.
"It is amazing to me that the PM and the Government of India is so interested in what is happening in Israel (Israel-Hamas conflict) but not interested at all in what is happening in Manipur, where people have been murdered, women molested and babies killed," he said.
"It is something to be ashamed of that the leader of our Union has not travelled to Manipur after what has happened there, and Manipur is the symptom of the problem. You can see the same problem in a smaller form in many different parts of the nation. People from minority communities, tribals and dalits are feeling uncomfortable. There is an oppression being carried out on the people of India," the former Congress president alleged.
Elections to the 40-member Mizoram assembly will be held in a single phase on November 7, and counting of votes will take place on December 3.
The Congress released a list of 39 candidates for the polls, with the party's state unit chief Lalsawta fielded from Aizawl West-III (ST).
Gandhi also said that the idea of India is under attack by the saffron party, which targets different communities, religions and languages.
"The idea of India that respects each other, is tolerant, learns from other ideas, religions and languages and that loves itself as a whole... That is the idea of India which is under attack by the BJP. They spread hatred and violence in the country. They spread arrogance, lack of understanding and this is completely against the idea of India," he said.
Gandhi criticised the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) over job creation, the drug menace and infrastructure, and accused it of destroying the state's economy.
"While the BJP attacks your culture, religion and tradition, the MNF supports them in Delhi... Over the last five years, the MNF government has created only 2,000 jobs. Infrastructure and the roads here are in shambles, and they are destroying the economic future of the state. Drugs are spreading rampantly across the future generation, and 250 young lives have been extinguished because of this," the Congress leader claimed.
"It is a shame that the people running your government are in cahoots with the government of Delhi," he added.
Gandhi urged people to vote for the Congress, arguing that it provides not "empty words" but a vision for Mizoram, as he cited examples of "good governance" in states like Karnataka, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, where the party is in power.
"We will defend your culture, religion and tradition... because if Mizo culture, tradition and language is attacked and destroyed, then India is attacked and destroyed. We love your diversity, perspective and way of looking at the world and at life. This is our most valuable asset, as it is the heart of Mizoram," he said.
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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.
