Actor Vikram Gokhale backs Kangana's 'bheek' remark
'Leaders never saved freedom fighters during British raj'
Pune, Nov 14: Veteran Marathi actor Vikram Gokhale on Sunday supported Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut's controversial remarks wherein she had said that what India achieved in 1947 was "bheek" (alms) but the country got the real freedom only in 2014 when Narendra Modi became the prime minister.
Speaking at a function here in Maharashtra, Gokhale said what Ranaut had said was true.
"I agree with Ranaut's statement. We were given freedom. Many people were just mute spectators when freedom fighters were hanged (during the British raj). These mute spectators included many senior leaders. They didn't save the freedom fighters who were fighting against the British," said Gokhale, who is known for his roles in Marathi theatre, Bollywood and television.
Gokhale said every political party, including BJP, tries to derive a benefit from controversies.
Replying to a query on the purported communal violence in Tripura and its echo in Amravati and other cities in Maharashtra where incidents of stone-pelting had taken place, the actor said communal riots are a result of vote bank politics. "Every political party plays that (vote bank politics)," he claimed.
Speaking on the political scenario in Maharashtra, Gokhale said former allies Shiv Sena and BJP should come together again for the betterment of the country.
"BJP and Shiv Sena should come together again. I had questioned (opposition leader and former Maharashtra chief minister) Devendra Fadnavis about the possible alliance between the two parties on the condition of sharing the post of CM for equal ears. Both the parties should try to win the people's confidence. I feel political parties should not deceive people because people can punish them," he said.
The Shiv Sena heads the tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government whose other constituents are NCP and Congress.
Gokhale claimed politicians are responsible for the present condition of the MSRTC (Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation) and Air India.
"I was the brand ambassador of the ST. It is a huge entity which operates over 18,000 buses in Maharashtra," he added.
Thousands of employees of the MSRTC have been on a strike demanding a merger of the cash-strapped undertaking with the Maharashtra government.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
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
===================
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.
