BJP calls me anti-Hindu, but TMC also stands for temple, mosque and church, says Mamata Banerjee
Panaji(PTI): Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday told her party workers in poll-bound Goa that the BJP calls her "anti-Hindu" although it has no authority to give a "character certificate" to her, and added that the initial letters in her party's name - TMC - also stand for temple, mosque and church.
The West Bengal chief minister, who arrived in Goa on Thursday evening as part of her three-day visit to the BJP-ruled state, also said her party wants to fight elections here not to divide votes but to make the coastal state "strong and self-sufficient" and asserted that the state will not be run from Delhi.
She said her party doesn't divide people on religious lines even if they are Hindus, Muslims or Christians.
The TMC has announced its decision to contest all 40 Assembly seats in Goa in the upcoming polls and started inducting several local leaders into its fold. Banerjee's tour is being seen as an attempt by her to gauge political mood in the state ahead of the Assembly polls slated in early 2022.
During her maiden interaction with the TMC leaders in Goa, Banerjee accused the BJP of defacing her posters in the state and said people of India will deface the saffron party.
"When I come to Goa, they deface my posters. You will be defaced from India," she said.
"You deface us (our posters), show black flags, refuse to grant permission (to hold event) because you know that TMC will due but will never compromise," she said while targeting the ruling BJP in Goa.
Banerjee said that if the TMC comes to power in Goa, it will not work with the agenda of revenge, but work for the state.
Listing out various welfare schemes rolled out by her government in her home state, she said if the TMC can do it in West Bengal, the it can also do it the small state of Goa.
"I will be happy to do it. I am not going to be the chief minister of Goa, but I will see that there is policy, mechanism and no corruption in the government," she said.
Banerjee said the TMC is a national party and it can go anywhere.
"We will work for Goa in a strong manner. It is not that we want to divide votes. You have given opportunity to all parties, now give opportunity to the TMC," she said
She said the initial three letters in her party's name TMC also stand for temple, mosque and church.
"BJP calls me anti-Hindu, but they are no one to give me character certificate. They should first decide their own character certificate," the 66-year-old leader said.
Stating that the TMC doesn't divide people on the basis of religions - be they are Hindus, Muslims or Christians, Banerjee said, "We unite people."
She narrated how she has been associated with the all the religions by way of festivals and rituals. Recalling her stint as a Union minister earlier, the TMC chief said she has travelled the country.
"I know India very well," she said.
Calling the TMC a transparent party, she said, "If you trust us, the party will give its fullest to back to you...Goa will not be run from Delhi."
Banerjee said her party wants to make Goa strong and self-sufficient and also protect the state's cultural heritage.
Referring to the Congress, she said the party has contested elections for 60-70 years.
"Last time (in 2017 Goa polls), you (Congress) allowed the BJP to form the government. They may repeat the same thing. How can we trust them? TMC is ready to give their blood for Goa, but it will not compromise with BJP," she said.
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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.
