Govt does not have strategy on China: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi(PTI): Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday alleged that the country's national security is "unpardonably compromised" as the government does not have a strategy on China.
He cited a news report where the External Affairs Ministry and the Chief of Defence Staff had a different take on the China border issue.
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Bipin Rawat on Thursday said the controversy about the Chinese coming into the Indian territory and building a new village is "not true", and that the villages were well within the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
He also asserted that China has not transgressed the Indian "perception" of the LAC.
In its recent report, the US Department of Defence said China built a large village inside disputed territory between its Tibet Autonomous Region and India's Arunachal Pradesh in the eastern sector of the LAC.
Earlier in an official reaction to the US report, the External Affairs Ministry said India has neither accepted China's "illegal occupation of its territory nor any unjustified Chinese claims".
While taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "56-inch chest" remarks, Gandhi said on Twitter, "Our national security is unpardonably compromised because GOI has no strategy and Mr 56 is scared".
"My thoughts are with the soldiers risking their lives to guard our borders while GOI churns out lies," he further alleged.
In the run up to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Modi had said it takes a 56-inch chest to convert Uttar Pradesh into Gujarat in terms of development.
Attacking the government over the issue, Congress leader P Chidambaram said it is time Defence Minister Rajnath Singh drew a line in his ministry and asked the CDS to remain "well within his side of the LAC".
"MEA said that China is in 'illegal occupation' of Indian territory and India will not accept 'unjustified Chinese claims'.
"Within hours, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) said that the Chinese 'have not transgressed anywhere on our perception of the LAC' and they are 'well within their side of the LAC'," Chidambaram said in a series of tweets.
The former Union finance minister also said the Chinese are laughing all the way from the Plenum to the 20th Congress of the Communist party.
"It is time for the Defence Minister to draw a LAC in the Defence Ministry and ask the CDS to remain well within his side of the LAC," the Congress leader said.
Last month, India and China failed to make any headway in resolving the 18-month standoff in the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh during the 13th round of military talks between the two countries.
Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the LAC in the sensitive sector of eastern Ladakh.
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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.
