Allegation on telephone tapping: CM Kumaraswamy demands evidence
Bengaluru, August 29: BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa made a serious allegation that “telephones of former chief minister Siddaramaiah, mine and other leaders are being tapped in the state and though I have raised the issue earlier, no action was taken”.
The state government should immediately stop tapping of telephones of various leaders including himself and conduct probe into the issue. Otherwise, the incident where the government was toppled during Ramakrishna Hegde period would repeat, Yeddyurappa warned.
But Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy made a counter attack saying that he would directly take action if Yeddyurappa provided even a small evidence for telephone tapping.
Kumaraswamy told reporters at Ramanagar that their own party is ruling at the centre and the BJP leaders could meet Prime Minister Modi and ask him to investigate the telephone tapping. Let them investigate it. The BJP leaders might have recalled their own deeds committed when they were in power and accused the government. He does not have the habit of tapping the telephones of any leaders. He was not brought up in such culture. If Yeddyurappa provided him a small evidence on telephone tapping, he would directly take action, Kumaraswamy challenged.
However, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Dr G Parameshwar said that the government was not tapping the telephones of any leaders. The allegation of Yeddyurappa was far from truth. The department has been verifying the call records of those who have involved in illegal and anti-social activities. But the telephones of no politicians were tapped. He would not have any information if the department verified the call records for investigation purpose, he clarified.
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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.
