SSP told us PM Modi would be coming by road but we took it as bluff: Punjab farmer leader
Chandigarh, Jan 6: The chief of a farmer outfit, which had blocked the route of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's convoy in Ferozepur forcing it to return, on Thursday said his group was told by the district police chief that the PM would be travelling by this road, but we thought it was a bluff to get the road vacated.
It was revealed by Bharatiya Kisan Union (Krantikari) chief Surjeet Singh Phul, whose union had blocked the Ferozepur-Moga road near Piareana village as part of their protest.
The PM's convoy had got stuck on a flyover on this road for 15-20 minutes when it reached near Piareana village, around 30 km away from the National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala in Ferozepur.
A decision was then taken to take the PM's convoy back to Bathinda airport.
After landing in Bathinda on Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi had to take the road route to Hussainiwala in Ferozepur because of the inclement weather.
Talking to reporters, Phul said, We initially thought they were bluffing us. The PM will not come. (If he comes) he will come by air as a helipad was set up there.
Phul said they thought it was a ploy of the police to get the road vacated to allow buses of BJP workers to pass through for the rally. We thought that way, he said.
We never knew that the PM was coming, said Phul.
Asked which police officer told them that the PM was coming, Phul said it was the Senior Superintendent of Police (Ferozepur).
The SSP said the prime minister was coming, said Phul.
We told him if the PM had to come, will it be known just an hour before his arrival? It was not possible, Phul said.
He further argued that there was so much traffic on the road and if the PM had to take this road, the traffic on both its up and down lanes would have been stopped in advance.
You (SSP) are bluffing us. We do not trust you and we will not vacate the road. You are lying about the PM visit, said Phul.
Some farmer bodies, including the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee and Bharatiya Kisan Union (Krantikari) had earlier announced to oppose Modi's visit.
They were demanding from the government to fulfil their pending demands, including bringing a law to guarantee the minimum support price for crops and withdrawal of criminal cases against farmers, who had participated in the agitation against the central farm laws.
In a "major security lapse", Prime Minister Modi's convoy was left stranded on a flyover in Ferozepur on Wednesday after some protesting farmers blocked the road forcing the PM to return from poll-bound Punjab without attending any event, including a rally.
The Union Home Ministry has sought an immediate explanation from the state government on the PM's security breach, saying it did not ensure the requisite deployment with Home Minister Amit Shah too warning that such dereliction of the security procedure during the prime minister's visit is totally unacceptable and the accountability will be fixed.
#WATCH | SSP Ferozepur asked us to vacate the road saying that the prime minister was going to the rally venue by road. We thought he was bluffing: BKU (Krantikari) chief Surjit Singh Phool pic.twitter.com/DvEoO94sTK
— ANI (@ANI) January 6, 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.
