Chhattisgarh CM Baghel asked Election Commission to conduct checks on CRPF vehicles ahead of polls
Raipur, Nov 2: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday urged the Election Commission of India to check the vehicles and luggage of paramilitary forces being deployed in the state for election duty, alleging that the BJP was bringing in cash through them so that it could be used to influence voters.
Talking to reporters at a helipad in Police Lines here, Baghel alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can stoop to any level to acquire power.
"Enforcement Directorate's senior officers have been visiting Chhattisgarh, but their vehicles are not checked as they are government officials. Common travellers are being checked. We are checked while travelling by helicopters and vehicles. CPRF brought big boxes in a plane but they were not checked. The ED can come for its investigation, but I want to tell the Election Commission that the vehicles of the central investigative agency should be checked," Baghel said.
"BJP has accepted its defeat (in the polls) and this is their last move that they are bringing money in boxes which will be used to influence the voters. Therefore, all vehicles should be checked, especially of ED and CRPF," he said.
When the CRPF is already deployed in the state, what is the need of bringing additional forces from outside, he asked.
"It means the boxes which are being brought may contain notes (cash) or other items too, so these should be checked," he added.
Asked whether the paramilitary force will be misused during the elections, Baghel said, "It is absolutely possible. They can go to any level to gain power...This is a very serious issue and the Election Commission should take its cognisance. However, a complaint will be lodged by our party."
The CRPF personnel arrived here yesterday in a special plane. The airport authorities did not check their vehicles because they were on government duty, he said.
"When CCTV cameras have been installed everywhere and everyone is being checked, then why are they not being checked? Wherever they are going, their vehicles should be checked," he added.
Elections to the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly will be held in two phases on November 7 and 17.
Twenty seats falling in seven districts of Maoist-hit Bastar division and Rajnandgaon, Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki, Kabirdham and Khairagarh- Chhuikhadan-Gandai districts will witness voting in the first phase while remaining 70 segments in the second phase.
Paramilitary forces are deployed in elections in Naxalite-hit and other areas for smooth conduct of polls.
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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.
