BJP busy promoting films amid targeted killings in Kashmir, claims Sanjay Raut
Mumbai(PTI): Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday criticised the ruling BJP at the Centre, claiming the party was busy promoting some movies amid the "targeted killings of Kashmiri Pandits and Muslim security personnel" in Jammu and Kashmir.
Talking to reporters here, Raut claimed the BJP was neglecting the Kashmir Valley's security.
"Did the atrocities against the Kashmiri Pandits stop with surgical strikes (conducted by the BJP-led central government across the Line of Control). They have increased," Raut claimed.
"There have been targeted killings of Hindus and Kashmiri Pandits as well as Muslim security personnel because they are serving the country. The BJP is busy promoting movies, like 'The Kashmir Files and 'Samrat Prithiviraj'," the Shiv Sena's chief spokesperson said.
From Srinagar to Pulwama (in Kashmir), at least 20 Muslim security personnel have been killed, the Rajya Sabha member claimed without specifying the details.
"The BJP leaders are not speaking about this. They are busy trying to find 'Shivling' in the Taj Mahal (Agra) and the Gyanvapi mosque (in Varanasi)," he said.
Raut also hit out at the BJP for celebrating its eight years in power at the Centre when the situation in Kashmir was "not good".
In the 1990s, when the first exodus (of Kashmiri Pandits) happened, the BJP was in power (at the Centre), he said, apparently referring the then V P Singh-led dispensation which was in power with the BJP's support.
The BJP is in power even now, Raut noted.
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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.
