BJP conspiring to arrest all opposition leaders before '24 polls: Mamata Banerjee
Kolkata, Nov 1: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday hit out at the BJP-led central government, alleging that it was conspiring to arrest all opposition leaders before the next year's Lok Sabha polls and cast votes for themselves in an "empty country".
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been summoned by the ED for questioning in an excise policy-linked money-laundering case on November 2, while several other leaders were also served notices, she said and claimed that phones of opposition party MPs are being hacked.
Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, continued with her demand from the Centre to release MGNREGA funds due to West Bengal and extended the November 1 deadline set by her party till November 16.
"Before next year's elections, they (BJP) are trying to gag the voice of all opposition parties. They are planning to arrest all opposition leaders before the polls so that they can vote for themselves in an empty country. They are hatching a conspiracy," Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat.
"They (Centre) have sent a notice to Arvind (Kejriwal). Five-six MPs have said their phones have been hacked... Let them continue to do it. We cannot humiliate our motherland," she said.
On the issue of MGNREGA funds due to the state, she said Governor CV Ananda Bose had promised that he would take up the matter with the Centre.
"Today was the last day, but nothing has happened so far. If the MNEGRA dues are not cleared by November 16, we will declare our next course of action," Banerjee added.
The TMC boss said that on November 15, her party would hold a party meeting at the city's Netaji Indoor Stadium to decide on their next course of action on the issue.
To a question on the arrest of state Forest Minister Jyotipriya Mallick by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the ration scam, she said her party would reply to the query.
The TMC supremo, however, held the erstwhile Left Front government responsible for the multi-crore ration scam and lauded the arrested former food minister for doing a commendable job by digitising ration cards.
"I will not respond to the legal part of this issue as the accused needs to defend himself," Banerjee said.
She claimed that when the TMC came to power in 2011 defeating the CPI(M)-led Left Front, there were one crore fake ration cards in the state.
"Many brokers took people's rations and sold those outside. I have cancelled those 1 crore fake ration cards. I have filed a case against them and arrested them. A charge sheet has been issued against them," she said.
In an apparent reference to Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, the chief minister said an investigation is on against the BJP leader to prove his involvement in corruption.
"I am just thinking aloud. There are some people who own 60-70 fishing trawlers besides many benami properties and petrol pumps... We are recovering documents as well. Many things will come out if we start digging," she said.
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.
