Campaign curbs should apply to all, PM must lead by example: Sanjay Raut
Mumbai, Jan 8: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday said restrictions imposed by the Election Commission on campaigning for upcoming Assembly polls in five states in view of COVID-19 should be applied uniformly, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi must himself set an example in this regard.
"During the West Bengal polls, we have seen how some parties and leaders, especially the BJP and the prime minister, campaigned during the peak of the second wave of coronavirus. (This time) the prime minister should lead by example," Raut, a Rajya Sabha member, told reporters.
Announcing Assembly elections in five states, including Uttar Pradesh, earlier in the day, the EC said rallies, roadshows and processions will not be allowed till January 15 in view of the coronavirus situation.
He said the Sena planned to contest a few seats in Uttar Pradesh and Goa, both currently ruled by the BJP, a former ally of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.
"In Goa, the Shiv Sena and NCP are together. We want the Congress to be with us. But there is the issue of seat sharing. If the Congress feels it can win in Goa on its own, our best wishes to them," he said.
He said the ruling BJP and new entrant Trinamool Congress were contesting Goa polls by "breaking the Congress", a reference to the large scale desertions the grand old party has seen in the last few months and weeks there.
On Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant questioning Raut's frequent visits to the coastal state with the taunt that the Sena does not have "even a village sarpanch", Raut said even the BJP did not have a sarpanch there till a few years ago.
The BJP made inroads in Goa by splitting the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), he claimed.
The Sena leader said the people of Goa want to teach the BJP a lesson but the lack unity among opposition outfits will give the ruling party an "open field".
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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.
