Congress slams Kangana's 1947 was 'bheek' remark as 'treason', demands Padma Shri be taken back
New Delhi, Nov 11: Hitting out at actor Kangana Ranaut for describing India's Independence in 1947 as 'bheek' or alms, the Congress on Thursday said her remarks amounted to "treason" and demanded the government take back the Padma Shri bestowed on her recently as she has "insulted" the country's Independence movement.
In a 24-second clip shared widely, Ranaut says India's Independence in 1947 was not freedom but "bheek" (alms). "And we got real freedom in 2014," she said at an event organised by a news channel. Some people in the audience were heard clapping.
Reacting to Ranaut's remarks, Congress' senior spokesperson Anand Sharma termed the comments "shocking and outrageous".
"Ms Kangana Ranaut's statement heaping insult on the courageous freedom fighters led by Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru and Sardar Patel but also belittling the sacrifices of revolutionaries like Sardar Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekar Azad and several others," he said in a series of tweets.
Sharma urged President Ram Nath Kovind to immediately take back the Padma award given to Ranaut.
Psychiatric evaluation should be carried out before giving such awards so that such persons do not dishonour the nation and its heroes, the former Union minister said.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi should break his silence and tell the nation if he endorses the views of Ranaut. If not, the government should take appropriate legal action against such people," he added.
Congress spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said her statement has shown what happens when people who are not deserving of Padma awards are given these honours.
"I demand that Kangana Ranaut should make a public apology to all Indians because of her statement, our freedom movement and our freedom fighters' sacrifice were insulted," Vallabh said.
"The Government of India should take back the prestigious Padma award from such a lady who is insulting Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Bhagat Singh, Subhash Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. If the government is giving her Padma award, it means the government is promoting these kinds of people," Vallabh said.
Asserting that because of her statement, sentiments of families of freedom fighters were hurt, the Congress leader said the government should apologise on behalf of Ranaut as she was a recipient of a Padma award.
What Kangana Ranaut has said is "direct treason", Vallabh said.
Another Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said Ranaut's remarks were "berating and an insult" to the sacrifice made by lakhs of citizens, including freedom fighters such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
"People like them laid down their lives for the freedom of this country and here is someone who just walks in and says we got this in alms, what sort of a statement is this. They (the BJP people) are fake, pseudo nationalists," she said.
"Anybody who is an Indian citizen will take great objection to what this woman has said," Shrinate added.
She lashed out at the government for its "conspicuous silence" and also that of BJP spokespersons, the Prime Minister's Office and the Home Minister's Office.
"Here is someone who is given one of the highest honours of the land, the Padma Shri, and she doesn't even value our independence. What sort of a person are we honouring with one of our greatest honours?" Shrinate said.
"No one on the face of this Earth has any business berating our national movement and the freedom which was hard earned," the Congress spokesperson said.
Shrinate said Kangana Ranaut should not just apologise but the government should also take action because somebody like her doesn't deserve to be honoured with one of the highest awards of this land.
Salman Soz said in a Twitter post that some people clapped when Ranaut remarked India's real independence was in 2014 because 1947 was a charity case.
He also recalled the millions who "resisted the British, those who were killed or jailed, those who loved India".
Ranaut, known for provocative and often inflammatory statements, was once again the centre of debate and ire for her remarks, with politicians across the spectrum, including BJP MP Varun Gandhi, among the host of social media users and others who reacted with outrage for her comments at an event on Wednesday evening.
BJP's Pilibhit MP Varun Gandhi shared a video of Ranaut's remarks on his Twitter handle.
Hon'ble @rashtrapatibhvn should immediately take back the Padma award given to Ms Ranaut. Psychiatric evaluation should be carried out before giving such awards so that such persons do not dishonour the nation and its heroes.
— Anand Sharma (@AnandSharmaINC) November 11, 2021
Prime Minister should break his silence and tell the nation if he endorses the views of Ms Ranaut. If not, the government should take appropriate legal action against such people.
— Anand Sharma (@AnandSharmaINC) November 11, 2021
Kanagana Ranaut's statement show’s what happens when people who are not deserving of Padma awards are given these honours.
— Prof. Gourav Vallabh (@GouravVallabh) November 11, 2021
The government should take back the prestigious Padma award from her. https://t.co/wlyZXfLi1V
हमारी आज़ादी को भीख कोई मानसिक रूप से विक्षिप्त असंतुलित ही कहेगा-वह आज़ादी जिसके लिए लाखों ने अपने प्राणों की आहुतियाँ दीं-ख़ैर उनसे और क्या आशा?
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) November 10, 2021
लेकिन @navikakumar जी, आज़ादी के लिए इस्तेमाल किए गए इस सस्ते शब्द और वक्तव्य की आपने आलोचना क्यों नहीं की? या आपसे भी आशा बेकार है? pic.twitter.com/lk3dNsQ67V
Some clapped when Kangana Ranaut said India's real independence was in 2014 because 1947 was a charity case. The Times of India group enabled the insult to millions who resisted the British, those who were killed or jailed, those who loved India. @vineetjaintimes @navikakumar
— Salman Anees Soz (@SalmanSoz) November 11, 2021
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
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
===================
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.
