Panchamasali Lingayat quota: Will place previous BJP govt's affidavit to SC before Assembly, says CM
Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 9: In a bid to corner opposition BJP that has extended support to Panchamasali Linayats' protest demanding higher reservation, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday told the state Assembly that he will place before it, the previous saffron party government's affidavit to the Supreme Court on the issue.
The Chief Minister's statement came a day ahead of Panchamasali Lingayats, a sub-sect of the dominant Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, planning to stage a protest near Suvarna Vidhana Soudha here demanding to be included in category 2A (15 per cent) of OBC reservation matrix. They are currently included under 3B (5 per cent).
He was responding to senior BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal urging the CM to take a concrete decision on Panchamasali Lingayats' demand.
ALSO READ: Panchamasali seer upset over restrictions on protests in Belagavi
"Panchamasali Lingayats have been demanding that they be included under 2A, I held two meetings with Kudalasangama Panchamasali Peetha seer Basava Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami and other leaders and I have told them clearly that I'm not opposed to their reservation demands," Siddaramaiah said.
Noting that there are categories in OBC like category 1, 2A, 3A, 3B, and Veershaiva Lingayats and Panchamasali Lingayats come under category 3B, he said, "If we have to include any community under category 2A or 1 freshly, an application has to be filed before a permanent backward class commission."
Further stating that the previous government did not include the Panchamasali Lingayats under 2A category, Siddaramaiah said, "They instead cancelled 4 per cent reservation given to Muslims and gave 2 percent from it to communities that come under 3B and 2 per cent to 3A communities."
When Muslims appealed against it in the Supreme Court, the previous BJP government had filed an affidavit undertaking that they will not withdraw 4 per cent reservation given to Muslims and will maintain the status quo, he said.
At this point, some BJP MLAs demanded CM not to make his own statement and to place the actual facts from the affidavit, and sought for discussion. Responding to it, Siddaramaiah said, "It is not my personal statement, I will place Supreme Court orders before the House the day after tomorrow.
What has happened in the Supreme Court, what undertaking you have given there, I will place everything before the House. I expect everyone will abide by the Supreme Court orders." The government will give a reply and make its stand clear when the issue is raised, he added.
Earlier, Home Minister G Parameshwara clarified to the Legislative Assembly that there are no restrictions on the protest by the Panchamasali Lingayat community on Tuesday, demanding higher reservation, but tractors will not be permitted, as there was a plan to bring 5,000 tractors to the protest site near Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, where the session is on.
"The Panchamasali community has planned a protest regarding their reservation demands, according to information I received they have plans to stage a protest near Suvarna Vidhana Soudha by bringing 5,000 tractors. If 5,000 tractors come, we will not be able to hold the session here and it will not be possible to maintain the law and order. So we have decided not to allow tractors and we have already communicated it," he said.
"Protesting is their right and we won't restrict it, but as it will be difficult to maintain law and order, we have said that tractors should not be brought. We will allow people to come in jeeps, with some restrictions, and we will maintain law and order. If we don't do it, you (opposition) will accuse us of not maintaining law and order. So if they do it with restraint, we will give permission," he said.
The Home Minister was responding to some BJP MLAs earlier in the day protesting from the well of the House alleging that the Belagavi district administration has put restrictions on a protest planned by the Panchamasali Lingayat community on Tuesday.
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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.
