Modi takes apparent swipe at KCR with 'parivaarvadi' jibe, TRS supremo slams 'bhaashanbazi'
Hyderabad/Bengaluru, May 26: Well ahead of the high stakes assembly polls in Telangana next year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ruling TRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday took apparent potshots at each other, even as the Telangana Chief Minister gave a miss to the former for the second time in a year during an official visit to his state.
While Modi lashed out at family politics saying 'parivaarvadi' is democracy's "greatest enemy," Rao, who flew to Bengaluru to meet former PM HD Deve Gowda, said despite 'bhaashanbaazi' (rhetoric), industries were closing down, the nation's GDP was crashing and the rupee was falling drastically compared to the US dollar and said all sections of the society were suffering.
Modi slammed "family-parties" in the country, including the ruling TRS in Telangana, without naming it, even as he expressed confidence the BJP would storm to power in the state in the next assembly elections, elated over its wins in two recent Assembly bypolls in the state, besides putting up a very good show in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation election in 2020. In another apparent jibe at KCR, as Rao is known, he said the "superstitious people can never do justice to Telangana's potential" and said that despite being a religious person, UP CM Yogi Adityanath believed in science.
"The air of Telangana that I am experiencing after coming out of the airport here, and the scene that I am witnessing, when I see your enthusiasm in this heat, I can say that our struggle is paying off," Modi said while addressing party workers at the Begumpet airport, after arriving to attend an official engagement in Hyderabad.
KCR, who is on a national tour with an apparent eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections for a bigger role and also keen to retain power in Telangana next year, travelled to neighbouring Bengaluru to meet Gowda and also said some "sensational news" was expected later on a possible grand alliance. Rao had avoided meeting Modi earlier this year, citing ill-health, when the PM was in Hyderabad to inaugurate the 'Statue of Equality,' of saint Ramanujacharya.
BJP's win in different elections in the recent past is a clear indication that people have made up their mind to bring about a change in Telangana, Modi said, adding, the saffron party "is certain in Telangana now," he said.
Modi hit out at family-run political parties, saying they were not just a political problem of India but "the biggest enemy of the country's democracy and its youth."
"Parivaarvadi (family-run) parties are not only a political problem of India. 'Parivaarvad' and 'Parivarvaadi' parties are the biggest enemies of both the country's democracy and the youth," Modi said, in an apparent reference to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).
Telangana people are watching how family-run parties are interested in their own welfare. These parties never care about poor people's problems, he further charged.
The country has seen how corruption becomes the face of political parties dedicated to one family, Modi said, adding, the youth don't get the opportunity to enter politics due to family rule, which he alleged crushes every dream of youth.
Therefore, "liberation" from 'parivarvaad' and family parties is a resolve and also a "naitik andolan" (moral agitation) for the 21st century India, he said.
BJP's fight is for the future of Telangana and also for its self-respect and identity.
Recalling that thousands of people had sacrificed their lives for the sake of a bright future for Telangana during the decades-long separate statehood agitation, Modi said the agitation was not for one family to crush the dreams of Telangana's development.
The Telangana agitation was not for one family to make new conspiracies to destroy the state by adopting various means, he said. Telangana was carved out of the erstwhile unified Andhra Pradesh in 2014.
Modi lauded BJP workers in Telangana, noting that the entire country is watching their ability as they fight against highhandedness and exploitation.
"Those people are involved in making Telangana a hub of appeasement. We want to make Telangana a technology hub," he said.
Observing that Telangana needs an honest and progressive government, he said BJP alone can provide such a government. Modi, who spoke about the importance of technology, said some people have become slaves of superstition even in the 21st century.
They can cause loss to anybody in their superstition, he said.
In an apparent attack on Rao, he said "superstitious people can never do justice to Telangana's potential".
Modi said he believes in the power of technology. Uttar Pradesh CM Adityanath, despite being a religious person, has stated he believes in science, Modi said.
"We have to save our Telangana from such superstitious people," he said.
Recalling that a ticket was introduced for his public meeting in Hyderabad in 2013, he said the incident had turned out to be a turning point and that he got an opportunity to serve the country.
Modi's veiled but sharp attack on the ruling TRS came as the ruling party and BJP gear up for next year's assembly elections. TRS has been ruling the state since 2014
Apparently hitting back at Modi, Rao said despite rhetoric, the country was suffering on the industrial and economic fronts.
"Today no one is happy, be it farmers, Dalits, tribals. Who is happy today. Situation is worsening day by day. What is the reality other than rhetoric (bhaashanbazi) and promises. Industries are getting closed, the GDP is crashing, inflation is spiralling, the rupee has fallen completely. Never in history has the rupee fell to such a low level compared to the US dollar," Rao pointed out, while speaking to reporters in Bengaluru after meeting Gowda.
On the prevailing situation, he said the country has enough resources, yet it was suffering due to shortage of water, electricity and irrigation even after 75 years of independence while many nations that secured freedom along with India are way ahead.
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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.
