Bills getting passed without debate, Parliament may soon become rubber stamp: Former HC judge
Kolkata: Former Madras High Court judge Krishnaswamy Chandru, the inspiration for Suriya-starrer 'Jai Bhim', on Monday voiced concern over the policies pursued by the Centre, as he claimed that "Parliament will soon become a rubber stamp for the government" with bills getting passed without any debate.
The retired judge, instrumental behind several landmark verdicts involving caste-based discrimination and gender-related issues, was speaking at a discussion here organised by the Students Federation of India (SFI) on the 29th anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition.
"Parliament passes farm bills without discussion. Farmers erupt in protest. The government repeals the bills, again without discussion. There is no debate in Parliament on issues of people's interest, the crisis faced by the masses. The way things are moving, Parliament will soon turn into a rubber stamp for the government, if it has not already," he stated.
Without making any direct reference, he also said Parliament will be run from Nagpur one day.
"In states like Tamil Nadu, observing December 6, condemning Babri demolition on this day is not allowed. This shows that the spirit of the Constitution is being violated," he noted.
Pointing out that the "word socialism only exists on paper in present-day India", the ex-judge said the current dispensation at the Centre was pursuing economic policies detrimental to the poor.
"If the state of affairs continues to be so, India will be bankrupt in a few years," he claimed.
The former judge alleged that the ruling party in the country, instead of upholding secularism, was "propagating a one-nation theory" by harping on majoritarian politics.
"It was argued during the hearing of Ram Janmabhoomi case that matters of faith should get precedence. Does it mean the faith of the majority! What about the faith of minorities? Didn't we dream about a pluralistic republic where different faiths co-exist? The Constitution safeguards the right to practise every faith. And the choice cannot be dictated by Delhi, Gujarat and Nagpur.
"Some people say in a southern state that eggs should not be included in midday meals as it will hurt sentiments. Whose sentiment are we talking about? Why should anyone dictate what should be eaten?" he maintained.
The retired judge further rued that many important cases, including the one on Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), are pending before the court.
Talking about the legal drama, 'Jai Bhim', which has received widespread accolades, the former judge said the film has stressed the fact that literacy can liberate people.
"Learn, educate and agitate. Literacy can be the answer to one's sufferings. 'Jai Bhim' has shown that India is one," he signed off.
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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.
