Centre not cooperating with Karnataka to solve farmers' woes: Shivakumar
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said that the Centre was not cooperating with the state to solve farmers' problems.
The ongoing winter session of the legislature will focus on the burning issues in the state, mainly the farmers, he said, and urged the opposition to join the government to pressurise the Centre over crop procurement and regional development.
"We don't know why the Centre is not cooperating with us to resolve the matter. We don't know why it is not releasing funds to procure crops under Minimum Support Price (MSP)," Shivakumar, who is also Congress state president, told reporters here.
The winter session of the Karnataka Legislature is in progress in Belagavi.
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The BJP has decided to stage a protest on Tuesday against the injustice to the farmers.
Reiterating that the session must meaningfully address these concerns, he said, "It is our wish that the Centre should release funds for the welfare of Kittur Karnataka and Kalyana Karnataka regions. We believe that the session will deliberate on these issues."
Shivakumar criticised the BJP's call for a demonstration, questioning the party's record in taking decisive steps on irrigation and crop procurement.
"Did the BJP ever take such firm decisions as we had on Upper Krishna Project (UKP), sugarcane and maize procurement," he asked.
The Deputy Chief Minister noted that the state had decided to buy a certain amount of maize and highlighted the gravity of the crisis in the sugar industry.
"Sugar factory owners are in tears..., factories are on the verge of closure," he said, adding that the government was "pressurising the Centre to bear the expenses together."
Pointing to the Centre's responsibility in deciding support prices, he said, "Who decides MSP? It's the Centre only. It didn't enhance sugar prices for the past 10 years. Why aren't they deciding to support the factories?"
He added that the farmers should be saved even if it results in loss.
Maize growers have been protesting, demanding procurement at Rs 3,000 per quintal.
The current MSP is Rs 2,400 per quintal, and farmers are seeking a Rs 600 bonus. Ahead of the session, the state government announced increasing maize procurement from 20 quintals per farmer to 50 quintals at Rs 2,400 per quintal.
Maintaining that the political fight should not be fragmented, he said the fight should not be by the BJP or farmers. It is the state that should raise voice against the Centre.
Shivakumar dismissed the BJP's protest plans, saying, "Since they don't have anything to say, they are protesting."
Meanwhile, reacting to Yathindra Siddaramaiah's statement that his father Siddaramaiah would complete five year term as Chief Minister, Shivakumar said, "I am glad about it".
Yathindra on Monday claimed that the Congress high command has said that there is no leadership change in the state and he believes that Siddaramaiah will continue as CM for five years.
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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.
