'Afraid, PM will inaugurate this bridge too': Rahul Gandhi attacks PM over Pangong Tso lake bridge
New Delhi, Jan 19: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that China was building a strategic bridge on the Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh, and took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying he "may go to inaugurate even this bridge".
He also questioned the Prime Minister's "silence" on the issue and said it is emboldening the spirits of the Chinese army.
"China is building a strategic bridge in our country. The PLA's spirits are being emboldened due to the silence of the PM. Now, the fear is the PM may go to inaugurate even this bridge," Gandhi alleged in a tweet in Hindi.
He also shared purported satellite images of the bridge connecting the north bank to the south bank of Pangong Tso Lake in eastern Ladakh.
Gandhi has been attacking the prime minister and his government over the handling of the border row with China in eastern Ladakh.
The government had earlier this month asserted that the bridge being built by China across Pangong lake is in an area that has been under that country's "illegal occupation" for around 60 years. The government had said it was taking all steps to ensure that the country's security interests are "fully protected".
हमारे देश में चीन एक कूटनीतिक पुल का निर्माण कर रहा है।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 19, 2022
PM की चुप्पी से PLA के हौसले बढ़ते जा रहे हैं।
अब तो ये डर है कहीं PM इस पुल का भी उद्घाटन करने ना पहुँच जायें। pic.twitter.com/OMcCC3wxXD
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.
