BJP MP Varun Gandhi, Congress, SP question UP govt over ration card verification guidelines
New Delhi/Lucknow, May 21: The Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday faced flak from the opposition Samajwadi Party, Congress, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and even ruling BJP MP Varun Gandhi over the ration card verification guidelines, as they accused it of abandoning the poor since the election in the state was over.
The SP alleged that the BJP government is enacting a drama so that it does not have to give ration to the poor.
''This is a new trick of the BJP to deprive the poor of ration... They grabbed power by taking the votes of the poor. Now the government should give them full ration as promised," Akhilesh Yadav's party tweeted.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate alleged that the very government which incessantly kept talking about free ration during the recent assembly polls was now implementing "ridiculous" guidelines to strip some so-called "ineligible'' people of the benefit.
Shrinate also asked whether the criteria applicable at the time of distribution of ration cards was changed after they had been distributed and said if the ration cards reached the wrong beneficiaries, why should action not be taken against government officials.
BJP MP Varun Gandhi, who has contradicted the party's official line on many issues, said, "The government will lose their credibility if all the parameters affecting the life of the common man are decided by looking at the 'elections' ".
''Eligible before the election and ineligible after the election?" he tweeted.
The Pilibhit MP added: "When will the government now remember the crores of countrymen who lost their ration cards as soon as the elections are over? Maybe in the next elections..!"
He was reacting to UP government's reported guidelines directing ineligible ration card-holders to return their cards or else face legal action under National Food Security Act 2013.
Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary (information) Navneet Sehgal, when asked about reports claiming that a directive was issued asking ineligible beneficiaries to surrender the ration cards by May 20, said Saturday that no such directive was issued.
"The government is only verifying them (ration cards). The verification drive of the ration cards is an ongoing process. If anybody is surrendering it is purely their decision and they are doing it voluntarily," Sehgal said.
He added that in place of the surrendered cards, new eligible beneficiaries will get the ration cards.
The RLD alleged that by ''changing the criteria of poverty itself, the BJP government is mocking the pathetic condition of the poor in the state.
''Shameful attempt by the government working on paper to remove poverty on paper,'' the party tweeted.
Shrinate claimed the guidelines issued by district supply officers and district magistrates across Uttar Pradesh specify that those with land or a house or an ox, tractor-trolley, even a motorcycle, poultry business or dairy, any financial help from the government, electricity bill or any other sources of income have to return the ration cards.
The Congress leader said "some of these guidelines are ridiculous because it says if you own a motorcycle or have a roof over your head or do a little bit of poultry business or have any other sources of income you are not eligible for a ration card and are excluded from the benefits of the Food Security Act"'
"Elections are over in Uttar Pradesh and now the real face and true colours of the BJP are visible.
"'The government that incessantly kept talking about free ration, printed bags with pictures of Modi and Yogi to distribute ration is today turning its back on the people," she told reporters
The Congress spokesperson said it raises the big question - will welfare schemes be made keeping elections and votes in mind and if it is so then shouldn't questions be raised on the government's credibility, its policies and its intentions.
"Both for Mr Modi and Mr Yogi who kept talking about free ration before elections .. are they today denying people the right to food security, especially at a time when people are struggling with high prices low wages and no jobs," she alleged
Shrinate also alleged that the "brazen attitude" of the government doesn't just end there, as the order categorically states that if one does not submit the ration cards, the government will retrospectively recover the money for the goods they received.
"After ghar wapasi, the BJP is now focusing on ration wapasi," she alleged.
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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.
