'PayCS' posters targeting Karnataka Agriculture Minister Chaluvarayaswamy appear in Mandya
Mandya (PTI): Taking a cue from the Karnataka Congress unit's campaign before assembly election, posters of 'PayCS' with a QR Code emerged in public places in the district headquarters town of Mandya targeting state Agriculture Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy on Thursday over alleged corruption.
The police removed the posters and detained some persons who are said to be BJP workers.
The opposition BJP as well as the JD(S) have distanced themselves from the "poster campaign" claiming that it is a 'people's movement' and they have nothing to do with it.
According to police sources, several posters with a QR code with an image of Chaluvarayaswamy surfaced at public places on Thursday.
A copycat of the UPI app PayTM's style, which the Congress party had spoofed in its 'PayCM' campaign targeting then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai before the Assembly elections, the 'PayCS' poster similarly accuses Chaluvarayaswamy, who is the Mandya district in-charge minister, of collecting bribes.
The poster read: "PayCS, Six to eight lakh rupees accepted here. Scan this QR Code to make Chaluvaraya Swamy pay for Karnataka Congress. For any transfer deal, PAYCS KARO!"
Mandya BJP district president C P Umesh told PTI, "It's not a BJP campaign. I came to know that some youth said to be BJP workers have been detained. I am yet to get details of the arrest but we are not involved. The people of Mandya have stood up against the Minister."
A JD(S) leader said his party has no role in the campaign.
"There are many problems within the Mandya Congress unit. It could be the handiwork of such people only," he told PTI.
Recently, seven assistant directors of the agriculture department in Mandya allegedly wrote to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot accusing Minister Chaluvaraya Swamy of demanding Rs six lakh to Rs eight lakh through the joint director.
The Governor forwarded it to Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma, asking her to take appropriate action.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Chaluvarayaswamy and the Agriculture Joint Director of Mandya district called the letter sent to the Governor "fake".
Siddaramaiah later ordered a CID inquiry into the purported letter.
The chief minister called it a fake letter and blamed the BJP and their 'brother', an apparent reference to the JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, for "creating it".
Chaluvarayaswamy also called on the Governor and told him that the letter was fake.
He also requested him to enquire about such letters in future before sending them to the government.
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Strict security measures in place in Mumbai for Messi's events at 2 venues Dec 14, say police
Mumbai (PTI): In view of Argentine superstar footballer Lionel Messi's visit to Mumbai on Sunday, the city police are implementing stringent security measures, like not allowing water bottles, metals, coins inside the stadiums and setting up watchtowers to keep an eye on the crowd, officials said.
The police also said taking extra care to avoid any stampede-like situation and to prevent recurrence of the chaotic situation that unfolded in Kolkata during Messi's visit on Saturday as thousands of fans protested inside the Salt Lake stadium here after failing to catch a clear glimpse of the football icon despite paying hefty sums for tickets.
Messi is expected to be present at the Cricket Club of India (Brabourne Stadium) in Mumbai on Sunday for a Padel GOAT Cup event followed by attending a celebrity football match. He is expected to proceed to the Wankhede Stadium for the GOAT India Tour main event around 5 pm.
"In view of Lionel Messi's visit to Mumbai, the police are geared up and have put in place a high level of security arrangements in and around the stadiums located in south Mumbai. Considering the chaos that prevailed in Kolkata and the security breach, we have deployed World Cup-level security arrangements at Brabourne and Wankhede stadiums," an official said.
Expecting heavy crowd near the stadiums during Messi's visit, the city police force has deployed more than 2,000 of its personnel near and around both the venues, he said.
As the Mumbai police have the experience of security 'bandobast' during the victory parade of ICC World Cup-winning Indian team and World Cup final match at the Wankhede Stadium, in which over one lakh cricket fans had gathered, we are prepared to handle a large crowd of fans, he said.
"We are trying to avoid the errors that occurred in the past," the official said.
There is no place to sneak inside the stadiums in Mumbai like the Kolkata stadium, according to him.
The police are also asking the organisers to provide all the required facilities to the fans inside the stadium, so that there will be no chaos, he said, adding the spectators have purchased tickets in the range of Rs 5,000 to 25,000. After paying so much of amount, any spectator expects proper services, while enjoying the event, he said.
The police are expecting 33,000 spectators at the Wankhede Stadium and over 4,000 at Brabourne Stadium. Besides this, more than 30,000 people are expected outside and around the stadiums just to have a glimpse of the football sensation, he said.
The organisers responsible for Messi's India visit recently came to Mumbai to discuss security arrangements. During the meeting, the Mumbai police asked them not to take the event lightly, according to the official.
After those requirements were fulfilled, the final security deployment was chalked out, he said.
Police has the standard procedure of the security arrangements inside the Wankhede Stadium, where people are barred from taking water bottles, metals objects, coins. Police are setting up watch towers near the stadiums and there will be traffic diversions, so that there is maximum space available to stand, according to the official.
Police are also appealing to the spectators to use public transport service for commuting and avoid personal vehicles to reach south Mumbai.
To avoid any stampede-like situation, police are also taking precautionary measures and will stop the fans some distance ahead of the stadium and public announcement systems will be used to guide the crowd. Barricades will be placed at various places to manage the crowd.
In case the crowd swells up beyond expectation, the police will divert people to other grounds and preparations in this regard underway, he said.
Additional police force has been deployed in south Mumbai to tackle any kind of situation, he said.
