Won't share stage with PM Modi when he comes to campaign: Mizoram CM
Aizawl, (PTI): Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga on Monday said he will not share the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he comes here to campaign for the ensuing assembly elections.
PM Modi is likely to visit Mamit town in the western part of the state on October 30, and campaign for the BJP candidates.
"The people of Mizoram are all Christians. When the people of Manipur (Meities) burned hundreds of churches in Manipur, they were (Mizos) totally against that kind of idea. To have sympathy with the BJP at this time will be a big minus point for my party," Zoramthanga told BBC News in an interview.
"It will be better if the prime minister comes alone and he shares the platform by himself, and I take the stage separately by myself," he said.
Zoramthanga's MNF is a part of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) and an ally of the NDA at the Centre. However, the party does not work with the BJP in Mizoram.
The chief minister said that the MNF joined the NDA and NEDA as it is totally against the Congress, and does not want to be part of any alliance led by it.
On giving shelter to people from Myanmar, Bangladesh and Manipur, Zoramthanga said that the Mizoram government was following the footsteps of the Centre.
"The Indian government helped the refugees from the erstwhile East Pakistan and even armed them to attain independence. We don't arm the refugees from Myanmar but we simply provide them food and shelter on humanitarian grounds," he said.
More than 40,000 people from Myanmar, Bangladesh and Manipur are taking shelter in the state.
Zoramthanga said that it was the responsibility of the Centre to restore peace in Manipur so that people can go back to their native state.
Mizoram will vote for its 40-member assembly on November 7, and the votes will be counted on December 3.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
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
===================
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.
