Gather in large numbers at protest sites on 1st anniversary of agitation on Nov 26: SKM to farmers
New Delhi(PTI): A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced repeal of the three contentious farm laws, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Saturday said its scheduled programmes would continue and urged farmers to gather in large numbers at all protest sites on the first anniversary of the agitation against the legislations on November 26.
The SKM has welcomed the prime minister's decision but said it will wait for the announcement to take effect through due parliamentary procedures.
In a statement, the SKM, an umbrella body of 40 farmers' unions, said the struggle will continue to get all demands of the protesting farmers fulfilled and all announced plans are underway.
"SKM appeals to farmers in various North Indian states to reach the different morcha sites on November 26, 2021, which marks the completion of a full one year of continuous peaceful protests at Delhi's borders, the statement said.
Thousands of farmers, particularly those from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting at the borders of the national capital since November 26 last year demanding repeal of the three farm laws.
Farmer leaders said that a final decision on the future course of the agitation and the issue of minimum support price (MSP) will be taken in a meeting of the SKM at the Singhu border protest site on Sunday.
The farmers' body said the first anniversary of the agitation will be marked by parades by tractors and bullock carts in other states.
In various states that are far away from Delhi, the first anniversary on November 26 will be marked by tractor and bullock cart parades in capital cities, along with other protests, the SKM said in the statement.
It said that the prime minister announced repeal of the three "black" farm laws but he chose to remain silent on the other pending demands of the farmers.
More than 670 farmers martyred in the farmers' movement so far and the Government of India did not even acknowledge their sacrifice. These martyrs' families have to be supported with compensation and employment opportunities. The martyrs also deserve homage to be paid to them in Parliament session, and a memorial should be erected in their name, the SKM said in the statement.
Hundreds of cases in which thousands of farmers have been implicated in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh and elsewhere have to be withdrawn unconditionally, it said.
It added that during the Monsoon Session of Parliament from November 29, peaceful and disciplined march of 500 protesters in tractor trolleys to Parliament every day will go ahead as planned.
It also indicated that its movement for a statutory guarantee of MSP and demand for the withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill will continue.
The SKM also appealed to farmers to join in very large numbers in the Lucknow Kisan Mahapanchayat on November 22.
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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.
