BJP wants to take away right to vote: Akhilesh Yadav
Moradabad/Bijnor (UP), Apr 17: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday claimed that the BJP has given the '400 par' slogan for the Lok Sabha polls as they want to "change" the Constitution of the country and "take away" the right to vote from people.
Addressing an election rally here in support of Ruchi Veera, the SP candidate from Moradabad, Yadav said, "If the government works as per the Constitution, no prejudice can be done against any community or group. But ever since the BJP has come to power, the government has not done justice with people."
Yadav recalled the protest by farmers against the now-repealed farm laws and said, "The government has taken back the farm laws. But the way BJP leaders are using the '400 par' slogan...if they come to power, it is possible that they will change the Constitution. They can even snatch our right to vote."
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also attacked the BJP-led Centre over demonetisation and electoral bonds.
SP candidate Veera also alleged that the BJP wants to change the Constitution. "The election this time is to safeguard democracy."
Stating that she was born and brought up in Moradabad, Veera sought votes from all sections of society and people of all communities.
"I am thankful to my Muslim brothers and sisters who have given me such respect and confidence that, along with Hindu brothers and sisters, will ensure a victory for the SP. We will defeat the BJP," she said.
Later, the SP chief, along with AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, also held a rally in Nagina, Bijnor.
Addressing the rally, the AAP leader attacked the BJP over various issues.
"When Akhilesh Yadav ji attends any election meeting, he talks of making schools, ambulance service and unemployment allowance. Contrary to him, when the prime minister addresses any rally he talks of 'shamshan' and 'kabristan'," he said.
Praising the work done in UP during Yadav's regime, Singh said that he made expressways, hospitals and schools, and improved police response.
"We don't need 'shamshan', we need schools for children and hospitals," he added.
Polling in Moradabad and Bijnor will be held in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 19.
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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.
