Punjab transport minister's undated video sitting on car sunroof triggers row
Chandigarh, Jun 10: An undated video showing Punjab Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar sitting on the sunroof of a moving car and purportedly putting his security men also at risk has triggered a controversy.
The opposition Akali Dal and the Congress slammed the minister for flouting traffic rules and asked Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann what action he planned against the minister.
The 28-second-long video shows the minister's security men leaning out of the window and two gypsies of the Punjab Police escorting his vehicle. A Punjabi song plays in the background throughout.
Bhullar, however, sought to play down the issue saying the video is two months old.
Refuting his claim, Punjab Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira tweeted, "Tpt Minister is lying video is 3 months old how could he have 2 Gypsy escorts and 10 gunmen as Aap candidate? "Ek chori utton seena jori"
"Is this how @Arvind Kejriwal and @Bhagwant Mann intend to end Vip culture? Do Aam Aadmi's behave like this? this is gross violation of MV Act Sec 841," Khaira, also a sitting MLA, said in the tweet.
Shiromani Akali Dal leader Daljeet Singh Cheema took a jibe at Bhullar and described him "Udta Mantri".
He sought to know how the transport minister, who is himself seen violating traffic rules, could preach to the public to follow them.
He asked the chief minister what action he had planned against Bhullar.
The Punjab Lok Congress, founded by former chief minister Amarinder Singh, said on Twitter, "@AAPPunjab's Transport Minister openly flouting rules and regulations and taking them literally for a ride is a testament to the current govt's attitude and seriousness towards Pb's law and order.
"How can they ask citizens to follow rules when the minister himself is flouting these?" it asked.
Tpt Minister is lying video is 3 months old how could he have 2 Gypsy escorts & 10 gunmen as Aap candidate?”Ek chori utton seena jori”Is this how @ArvindKejriwal & @BhagwantMann intend to end Vip culture? Do “Aam Aadmi’s”behave like this? This is gross violation of MV Act Sec 84! https://t.co/J6QKYC2Ar4
— Sukhpal Singh Khaira (@SukhpalKhaira) June 10, 2022
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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.
