BJP leaders question Booker Prize-winning author Banu Mushtaq inaugurating Dasara festival
Bengaluru(PTI): Senior BJP leaders and an MLA expelled from the saffron party have questioned the Karnataka government's decision to have Booker Prize-winning author and activist Banu Mushtaq inaugurate the world-famous Mysuru Dasara festivities this year.
Former minister and BJP MLC C T Ravi said it is inappropriate for a person whose faith is uncertain to preside over a religious ceremony.
Former Mysuru MP Pratap Simha said that she can preside over a literary event but not Dasara.
"I personally respect Banu Mushtaq for her achievement. It is acceptable when she chairs the Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana but not Dasara, a Hindu religious event which starts with offering pooja to Goddess Chamundeshwari. Does she have faith in Chamundeshwari Devi? Is she following our traditions?" Simha said while speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Sunday.
MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, who was expelled from BJP, who represents Vijayapura, said in a post on X, "I personally hold respect for Banu Mushtaq madam as a writer and activist. However, her inaugurating Dasara by offering flowers and lighting the lamp to Goddess Chamundeshwari seems to be in conflict with her own religious beliefs".
He said, "Madam needs to clarify whether she continues to follow Islam, which emphasizes belief in only one God and one holy book, or whether she now believes that all paths ultimately lead to the same moksha."
He added that such clarity was essential before she presides over the inaugural rituals.
"Without such clarity, it does not appear appropriate for Banu Mushtaq madam to inaugurate Dasara. She may certainly inaugurate cultural or literary events within Dasara festivities, but the religious inauguration of Dasara itself should be refrained from," Yatnal said, using the hashtag #KarnatakaDasara2025.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had recently announced that Banu Mushtaq would inaugurate the Nada Habba (state festival) Dasara celebrations in Mysuru, which traditionally begin with rituals at the Chamundi Hill temple.
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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.
