CM Siddaramaiah flays 'One Nation, One Election' Bill as attack on democracy and states' rights
Bengaluru, Dec 12: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday slammed the Union Cabinet's approval of the "One Nation, One Election" Bill, calling it an "assault on parliamentary democracy and the federal structure of India." He further described it as a "sinister conspiracy" aimed at undermining the rights of states.
He warned that if necessary his government would consult the Congress high command to pass a resolution opposing the proposal, similar to the Kerala government.
Condemning the Centre's move, Siddaramaiah said the current electoral system urgently requires meaningful reforms, and introducing such a bill would only "weaken" the foundations of democracy further.
In a post on the social media platform 'X', the CM said before approving such a critical bill, the central government should have consulted opposition parties and state governments.
"True to its authoritarian tendencies, the Modi government is attempting to impose this undemocratic proposal on the country," he said.
Referring to the Kerala government’s resolution rejecting the 'One Nation One Election' proposal, Siddaramaiah said, "If needed, our government will also consult the Congress High Command and adopt a similar resolution to send a strong message against this anti-democratic move."
He further criticized the proposal, saying it failed to address critical issues like how to handle crises when a ruling party loses its majority in the Lok Sabha or state assemblies.
"In such situations, the only democratic remedy is to conduct fresh elections. Allowing a minority government to continue in power despite losing confidence would be treachery against democracy," he alleged.
Siddaramaiah pointed out that implementing "One Nation, One Election" would require significant amendments to the Representation of the People Act and at least five key provisions of the Constitution.
He also questioned the Election Commission’s ability to handle simultaneous elections nationwide, citing a lack of adequate resources and capacity.
Describing the proposal as a "gimmick," Siddaramaiah charged the Modi government with using it as a distraction from its "collosal failures". "This is not about electoral reforms but about consolidating power and undermining the democratic spirit of our nation," he alleged in his post.
The Union Cabinet’s approval of the "One Nation, One Election" Bill is not only an assault on parliamentary democracy and the federal structure of India but also a sinister conspiracy to curb the rights of states. At a time when the current electoral system is in dire need of…
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) December 12, 2024
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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.
