Congress is enemy of peace and development: PM in frontal attack on party in Karnataka
Mulki (K'taka) (PTI): In a frontal attack on the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the entire politics of the party was based on "divide and rule" policy, and charged it with going across the world defaming the country, when India's democracy and development was being "appreciated and respected globally".
Calling Congress the "enemy of peace and development", the Prime Minister also accused the party of insulting and abusing India's defence forces.
"Congress is an enemy of peace and development. When Congress is there, investors will flee. Congress protects 'aakas' (boss) of terror, they encourage appeasement," Modi said.
Addressing a public meeting here in Dakshina Kannada district of coastal Karnataka, which is a BJP stronghold, he said the Congress's only identity was "appeasement politics". "Will you (people) allow such a Congress to come to power, will you allow Karnataka to get ruined?"
He continued, "Across the country whichever state wants peace and development, the first thing people there do is to oust Congress from there. If there is peace in society and the country is progressing, Congress cannot sit peacefully or will not be able to digest it. Congress's entire politics is based on divide and rule policy."
Alleging that the Congress tried to save those who were arrested for conspiring to spread terror, Modi claimed that it not only withdrew cases against such anti-social elements, but also released them.
The "reverse-gear" Congress also takes electoral help from anti-national forces, the Prime Minister further alleged.
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Noting that the whole country respected and honoured the defence forces, Modi claimed that the Congress insulted and abused the military brass and soldiers.
"The whole world appreciates and respects India's democracy and development," he said, "but the Congress is going across the world defaming the country."
"America, Australia, Japan, UK...in every corner of the world India is being appreciated or not? Why?... It is not because of Modi, it is happening because of your (people's) votes. It's the strength of your votes, which formed a strong and stable government in Delhi," he added.
Talking about developement, the Prime Minister said: "We want Karnataka to become number one in industrial and agriculture development, fisheries and port. We are working on it."
He claimed that the Congress wanted to make Karnataka the "number one ATM" for its 'shahi parivar' (royal family) sitting in Delhi.
Karnataka BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje among other BJP leaders were present at the rally.
Modi also cautioned that the Congress that "takes 85 per cent commission in every programme or scheme" would take Karnataka back by decades and "bury it in a pit".
"People of Karnataka have to be very cautious about Congress, JD(S) are also similar kinds of people," he said.
The Prime Minister urged people to bring in BJP with a "full majority and strong and stable government in Karnataka", for it to be "praised and respected across the country and the globe".
Speaking in this coastal town, Modi also highlighted the various programmes of BJP governments at the state and centre for the welfare of fishermen and the fisheries sector, including inland fisheries.
Stating that India had the world's third largest startup ecosystem today, Modi said the country had about one lakh startups and nearly a hundred unicorns.
"The BJP government is giving policy support to the startup ecosystem. We are working on preparing lakhs of young innovators for the future," he said.
Pointing out that India had reached the fifth position among major global economies under the BJP govt, surpassing the UK that had colonised us, the Prime Minister said, "This is the Modi government which put England behind and came to the fifth position... I want your support to now reach the third position among global economies. I need Karnataka's support in this effort."
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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.
