PM Modi made India strong, cannot be compared with Nehru: Karnataka CM Bommai
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday asserted that former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and current Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot be compared, as he praised the incumbent for taking strong actions on border issues and on matters concerning the nation's unity and integrity, compared to the former.
He also sought to know whether senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah was a Dravidian or Aryan, to counter the latter's jibe against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Targeting the RSS, the Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly on Friday had questioned whether those who belonged to the outfit were "native Indians", "Dravidians" or "Aryans", eliciting sharp reactions from several ruling BJP leaders.
Speaking at an event commemorating Nehru's death anniversary here, Siddaramaiah had said, Modi and Nehru cannot be compared, and it should not be done.
"Where is Nehru, where is Modi. It is like comparing land and sky, there is no comparison at all...he (Modi) has undone all the good works of Nehru, like the Five-Year Plans, among others," he had said.
Reacting to Siddaramaiah's comments, Bommai on Saturday said, there cannot be such comparison and pointed out at Modi's strong measures on national security and unity, compared to that of Nehru.
"Obviously, he (Modi) cannot be compared with Nehru, because Nehru when China invaded India (in 1962), without taking proper measures, gave away border areas (to China), while Narendra Modi stood strong and saved our border areas (in recent border skirmishes)," he said.
"Also, he (Modi) has not entered into any compromise with Pakistan. He has worked for India's unity and integrity, there are several such examples. Modi made India strong, so there can be no comparison," he told reporters here.
To a question on the Congress Legislature Party leader's comments against the RSS, the Chief Minister said, "I just want to ask, from where Siddaramaiah has come, whether he is a Dravida or Aryan. Let him tell that first."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
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
===================
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.
