Several contributors leave Indian Express after it carries UP govt ad that "promotes Islamophobia"
Popular nationwide daily newspaper Indian Express is once again underfire across social media platforms after carrying a front page ad sponsored by UP government that promotes Islamophobia.
The ad claims that there are no more riots in the state ever since BJP government came to power. The ad shows a purported Muslim man, wearing Surma (Kohl) around his eyes and with bears, as a rioter who has learnt his lesson under BJP government.
Frequent contributors to the daily condemned the newspaper for carrying the advertisement. Professor Apoorvanand of the Delhi University, who is a frequent columnist for the newspaper said that he is shocked by the ‘open islamophobic propaganda’. He announced disassociation with the paper as a ‘writer’ and ‘buyer’.
“Shocked to see this open Islamophobic propaganda. Know the editors are secular but cannot rationalise it. In my small way, I register my protest by disassociating with it as a writer and buyer. Sad as I valued my association with it but there is something more sacred at stake,” he said in a tweet.
Economist Jayathi Ghosh, a regular contributor at the Express also announced dissociation with the paper and said the daily is promoting hatred by carrying the UP govt’s ad on its front page.
”Definitely time to dissociate from @IndianExpress – a paper that brazenly promotes hatred in a half-page spread on its front page. No excuses for this. ,” she said.
Salil Tripathi, another contributor at the Express called the ad ‘tasteless’ and said that it reminded him of real images from the Gujarat riots of 2002.
The Indian Express was slammed by users earlier as well when it carried an ad by the UP government in which a flyover from Bengal was depicted as one that was built in Uttar Pradesh. The newspaper had apologized for the goof up.
Several Twitter users expressed their anguish over Indian Express publishing the front page ad and said the newspaper has lost its credibility. Several also announced that they will no longer buy and read newspaper as a mark of their protest against such promotion of hatred by the paper.
Shocked to see this open Islamophobic propaganda. Know the editors are secular but cannot rationalise it. In my small way I register my protest by disassociating with it as a writer and buyer. Sad as I valued my association with it but there is something more sacred at stake. https://t.co/RcBFOJUauI
— Apoorvanand अपूर्वानंद (@Apoorvanand__) December 31, 2021
This fictional tasteless ad in the express reminded me of this real life set of images. pic.twitter.com/BWD6QL4X13
— saliltripathi (@saliltripathi) January 1, 2022
Definitely time to dissociate from @IndianExpress - a paper that brazenly promotes hatred in a half page spread on its front page. No excuses for this. https://t.co/jyPahmINoy
— Jayati Ghosh (@Jayati1609) January 1, 2022
The Sanghi quote tweets & replies on this are all hearing Yogi’s dog whistle in the ad and coming running … do read them, esp the blue tick ones @rajkamaljha, to see what the bottom half of the @IndianExpress front page is saying and to whom. The history books will remember this https://t.co/RF9kHvOgfs
— Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan) January 1, 2022
Contributors with conscience must stop writing and buying @IndianExpress !!!@ramakumarr @Jayati1609 @arjun_jayadev @kaushikcbasu @saliltripathi @bprerna @pbmehta@AmartyaLahiri@JeanDreze
— Rammohan Erturk (@HypocriteBabu) December 31, 2021
Glad to see @Apoorvanand__ has already decided to do this!! https://t.co/1aJ4jr97eS
I stop buying/reading @IndianExpress today. What about you? https://t.co/vQepm6O56m
— Leo Saldanha (@leofsaldanha) January 1, 2022
SICKENING @IndianExpress
— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) December 31, 2021
Is this your “journalism of courage” ?!
🤮🤮🤮🤮 #StopAdvertisingHate https://t.co/mt8ucXDNzZ
Indian Express lost its credibility for me the day it honoured known Islamophobe and ex-Tihari Sudhir Chaudhary for 'excellence in journalism'. So this has not come as a surprise to me. https://t.co/U0eAKB8PwV
— Rifat Jawaid (@RifatJawaid) January 1, 2022
I've been a subscriber of @IndianExpress for six years now. Good that they came out with this ad on last day of month. Easier for me Unsubscribe.
— Anas Tanwir (बुकरात वकील) (@Vakeel_Sb) December 31, 2021
Indian express must apologize. The dangais don't wear Keffiyah, I've often seen them wearing saffron. https://t.co/pB1a48KOoE
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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
===================
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.
