Amul-Nandini was made emotional issue due to polls, Amul entered K'taka during Cong regime: Nirmala
Bengaluru, Apr 23: To suddenly say Amul is being brought to Karnataka to kill Nandini is "brazen", Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Sunday, as she alleged that the Gujarat-based dairy cooperative had entered the state when Congress was in power here.
The Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) sells milk, curd and other dairy products under the brand name Nandini.
She said things were tweaked, twisted and made an emotional issue because it is election time in Karnataka, where Assembly polls would be held on May 10.
"In India's scheme of things, every state has its own milk cooperative. Karnataka's Nandini - whoever doesn't recognise it? Even now as I've come, I had Nandini milk, curd, peda... Of course in Delhi I'll buy Amul. I represent Karnataka (but) in Delhi, if Nandini isn't available, I'm mentally not a sanyasi to say I won't drink milk if Nandini isn't available. I still buy Amul. That's not being against Karnataka," Sitharaman said.
Strengthening Nandini and dairy farmers in Karnataka had never been a question, she said, adding that it would continue to happen. Nandini too sold its products in other states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh just like other state dairies' products are also available in Karnataka, she pointed out.
"Good competition I would say... The idea is therefore to strengthen India in every aspect. That's why India became the world's largest milk producer," she said.
The minister was responding to a question regarding the Amul-Nandini controversy, during the interaction with Thinkers Forum, Karnataka here.
Stating that to falsely and suddenly say Amul was being brought to kill Nandini was "brazen", she said. "Amul entered Karnataka when there was a Congress government here. I'm not sure I should name the Chief Minister at that time. The same respected former CM is now questioning Amul's entry. It was in his time Amul entered North Karnataka for marketing in those areas.
"This, strictly speaking, is tweaked, twisted and made an emotional issue because it is election time," she alleged, adding that "instead of building a healthy competition and a positive narrative" the issue was twisted, "and our farmers and women need not be brought into a political issue".
Karnataka's milk farmers need to be supported, Sitharaman said, giving credit to former Karnataka CM B S Yediyurappa's government for having raised the procurement price of milk for the first time. He gave Rs 2 more per litre. Later subsequent governments too did their bit.
"Again the current BJP government increased it to Rs 5. So, support to milk-giving farmers will continue," she said. Farmers and those engaged in animal husbandry are also given many other facilities by the Centre, she 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.
