Socio-educational survey of backward castes will not be postponed: Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday asserted that the socio-educational survey of backward castes will not be postponed, amid claims of dissent within his cabinet.
He said the Backward Class Commission would decide how to conduct the survey.
Responding to questions by reporters about reports that some ministers opposed the survey and sought a postponement, Siddaramaiah said, "We won’t postpone it. The Backward Class Commission is a constitutionally formed statutory body. We cannot give it any direction. We will not postpone it. They have sought an opinion. It (commission) will decide."
Dismissing claims that ministers were unhappy with the survey, he added, "The BJP is doing politics… They are projecting the Congress government as anti-Hindu. I told ministers to condemn it and give a proper reply to them."
During Thursday’s cabinet meeting, no decision was taken on the survey, which is being projected as a caste census.
Sources said some ministers raised concerns over the inclusion of Vokkaliga Christians, Lingayat Christians, Vishwakarma Brahmin Christians, Ganiga Christians, and Madiwala Christians.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje criticised the chief minister over the survey, alleging, "Whenever Siddaramaiah fails, he comes out with a weapon called caste."
Karandlaje alleged Siddaramaiah had tried to divide Lingayats and Veera Shaivas during his previous tenure from 2013 to 2018, including attempts to percolate the issue at the village level.
"Now again, Siddaramaiah has moved ahead to break all the castes. After trying to divide various sub-castes within Vokkaligas, Lingayats and Ganigas, Siddaramaiah has brought out Vokkaliga Christians, Lingayat Christians and Ganiga Christians. Why are you doing this? This conspiracy is to take away our quota," she alleged.
She added, "If someone is a Christian, then they should put it in that manner only, and I have no objection to it. Those who have converted from SC/ST and OBC should write themselves as Christians. They will get facilities under the minority category."
"There is an organised conspiracy to take away the reservation of SC/ST and OBC in favour of those converted to Christianity," Karandlaje claimed, urging people to oppose the move.
She further alleged, "The time has come for all the Hindus to unite by keeping aside all our castes and sub-castes, or else we will be divided and distributed among people. What the British had done, this Siddaramaiah government has the same British mentality. We will not let it happen."
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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.
