Hate speech: Kerala court cancels bail of P C George
Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi, May 25: A Magisterial court in Kerala on Wednesday cancelled the bail granted to senior politician P C George in a case accusing him of making a hate speech against Muslims in the State on April 29.
The court allowed the plea moved by the police to cancel the relief granted to George on May 1.
Police, in its plea, had contended that the veteran politician violated the bail conditions and, therefore, the bail was liable to be cancelled.
The court allowed the plea of the police, George's lawyer -- advocate Ajith Kumar -- be confirmed.
The lawyer said the senior politician has been asked to appear before the Palarivattom police station in Ernakulam district of the State in connection with another case of hate speech.
Subsequently, when he arrived at the police station, workers of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) protested there seeking his arrest, according to visuals shown on TV channels.
The PDP workers were removed from there and soon thereafter, a large number of BJP workers and State president of the party K Surendran, and its candidate in the Thrikkakara by-election A N Radhakrishnan, arrived at the police station.
Surendran said the action taken against Geoge indicates the double standards of the LDF government as it did not take such steps against others who had in the recent past made communally charged remarks in public.
He said George would have the support of his party.
After he was questioned for some time at the Palarivattom police station, TV visuals showed him exiting the station along with his son and other BJP leaders including Surendran.
He was, thereafter, shifted to the Ernakulam AR camp where he is awaiting arrival of a police team from Thiruvananthapuram, a senior official said.
George has been granted interim protection from arrest by the Kerala High Court in the case lodged at Palarivattom police station.
On being asked whether he would appeal against the cancellation of his bail, advocate Ajith Kumar said his client would first obey the law and then would decide what to do next.
The police had sought cancellation of his bail alleging that soon after he was granted the relief, George addressed the visual media in front of the Judicial Officer's Quarters, Vanchiyoor, and said he is still sticking to what he had stated in the speech and was justifying the same which amounts to repetition of the same crime and spread of communal hatred further.
The police had pointed out that the Magisterial court, while granting bail, had directed the accused not to make and propagate controversial statements which may hurt the religious sentiments of others while on bail.
The police had arrested George on May 1 after registering a case against him under Indian Penal Code Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) at Fort Police station for allegedly making a communal speech against Muslims while addressing 'Ananthapuri Hindu Maha Sammelanam'on April 29.
The 70-year-old former MLA had sparked off a controversy by asking non-Muslims in Kerala to avoid eating at restaurants run by the community.
Subsequently, on May 10, another case was registered against him on charges of hate speech.
Palarivattom police booked the former legislator over his objectionable remarks during a speech that he delivered in connection with a temple festival at Vennala in Ernakulam district on May 8.
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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.
