Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah calls BJP-JD(S) alliance for LS polls "unholy"
Chitradurga (K'taka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday termed the BJP-JD(S) alliance for next year's Lok Sabha elections as "unholy" and questioned the secular credentials of the Janata Dal (Secular) after joining hands with a "communal party".
Speaking to reporters in this district headquarters town, he said despite having the word 'Secular' in the party name, JD(S) has joined hands with "communal forces". "They are having an alliance with a communal party."
"It is an unholy alliance, because till now BJP used to abuse JD(S) and JD(S) used to abuse the BJP, now they have come together. JD(S) has claimed that they have thrown away the ideology to save the party," Siddaramaiah said.
Last month, JD(S) had decided to ally with the saffron party following a meeting of H D Kumaraswamy with Home Minister Amit Shah
and BJP national President J P Nadda in New Delhi.
Hitting out at the BJP for sending a "fact-finding" committee to violence-hit area of the district headquarters town of Shivamogga,
Siddaramaiah asked, "What fact finding will they do? What is there? regarding what they will find facts?"
He said a criminal case has been registered against the miscreants involved in stone pelting on the day of Eid Milad procession, and instructions have been given to police to take merciless action against them irrespective of their religion or party affiliation. "We have instructed the police not to allow anyone to take law into their own hands."
A fact-finding committee consisting of senior BJP leaders visited the violence-hit area of the Shivamogga on Thursday.
Responding to a question on BJP alleging that the Congress government has put a brake on development of the state for the sake of its guarantee schemes (pre-poll promises of the Congress party), the Chief Minister alleged that it is BJP, which has destroyed the economic situation of the state.
"It is they (BJP) who destroyed the state, what moral right do they have? Did we (Congress govt) take so much loan during our period? Was the committed expenditure this high (when Cong was in power earlier)? After destroying the state's economy they are now speaking, as they are now in the opposition," he said.
Noting that regular grants are being given to the legislators for development works, Siddaramaiah further said additional funds are not being allotted for fresh projects as of now.
"There is no shortage of funds for regular programmes, also for the five guarantee schemes," he 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.
