BJP stages protests outside Karnataka Assembly over 'failure' of Cong govt to fulfill poll promises
Bengaluru(PTI): The opposition BJP in Karnataka on Tuesday staged protests inside and outside the state Assembly against the Congress government over its alleged failure to fulfill the five poll guarantees in toto.
The move led to the adjournment of the lower House twice in the pre-lunch session.
Former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, BJP MP D V Sadananda Gowda joined hundreds of BJP workers at the Freedom Park here to protest against the government.
Yediyurappa charged the Congress with 'misleading' people through their five guarantees.
"Our agitation is against the failure of fulfilling the five guarantees. We are also opposing the government's stand to withdraw the anti-conversion and anti-cow slaughter laws, which our government had introduced in the past," he said.
Later talking to reporters, Yediyurappa, a central BJP Parliamentary Board member, backed JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's allegation of "transfer business", referring to alleged corruption, going on in the state.
"Whatever Kumaraswamy has said is absolutely true and I support his statement. We will fight together in future," the BJP stalwart said.
Kumaraswamy had alleged that a new tax system "YST Tax" has been introduced by the state government.
Earlier in the day, BJP legislators stormed the well of the House and raised slogans against the Congress over alleged delay in implementing the five guarantees made by it ahead of the elections, leading to a brief adjournment by Speaker U T Khader.
The proceedings began with the Speaker allowing the "star questions" to be raised.
Accordingly, Congress MLA Shivalinge Gowda rose to raise the question.
However, former CM Basavaraj Bommai demanded acceptance of adjournment motion and discussion on the issue in place of the question hour.
Joining him, BJP MLA R Ashoka accused the government of "cheating" people in the name of five guarantees.
Soon, other BJP legislators too raised the issue demanding that their submission be allowed first.
The speaker repeatedly appealed to the opposition BJP to allow the Question Hour to take place, but to no avail.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar took a swipe at the BJP saying they were unable to "tolerate the success" of five guarantees. "Let the Question Hour happen. Then we will hear their (BJP's) 'Pearls of Wisdom'," he said.
However, the BJP MLAs were firm to make a submission about the 'failure' in implementation of the five promises.
Shivakumar sought to know whether the BJP ever fulfilled its promise of "depositing Rs 15 lakh in everyone's bank account and bringing back black money parked overseas".
"We are committed to our promises and we will fulfill them," he asserted.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too appealed to the BJP to give up its 'adamant posture'.
Soon the BJP legislators trooped into the Well of the House raising slogans against the government.
Following the din, Speaker Khader adjourned the proceedings for a brief period for the second time.
As the house assembled again, the BJP MLAs were on the Well of the house raising slogans.
Amidst chaos, the Speaker Khader went ahead with the question hour and later allowed the documents of various departments to be tabled in the house.
Later, the House was adjourned for lunch break.
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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.
