I did not participate in ABVP event, only paid tribute to Rani Abbakka in Tiptur: Dr. Parameshwara
Bengaluru: Home Minister of Karnataka Dr. G Parameshwara, who is reported to have participated in a programme by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in Tiptur on September 2, refuted the allegations on Thursday, saying he had only offered tribute to Rani Abbakka during a procession being taken out by the ABVP.
The ABVP, which is the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), is learned to have celebrated the 500th birth anniversary of Veerarani Abbakka with a torch-lit procession and a car festival in Tiptur on September 2, when the procession with a statue of Rani Abbakka in a vehicle crossed paths with the convoy of Dr. Parameshwara, the District in-charge Minister of Tumakuru. Dr. Parameshwara is learned to have accepted an invitation by the forum leaders and offered tribute to Rani Abbakka’s statue before continuing his journey.
On Thursday, when questioned about the matter by reporters in Bengaluru, the Home Minister clarified, “I did not participate in any event of the ABVP. We, the local legislator Shadakshari and I, came across their (ABVP) procession. The leaders asked us to offer floral tribute to the freedom fighter. Considering that it was a procession honouring Rani Abbakka, I did so.”
He stated that raising a hue and cry regarding the incident and also making it a controversial act would not affect him. “I am a true Congressman and will die as a member of the party,” he insisted.
Parameshwara added, “It is natural for a politician to have opponents even within the party. The people of Karnataka, however, know me well as I have been in politics for 35 years. I don’t need to prove my genuineness repeatedly.”
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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.
