Kolkata:
Thousands of football fans gathered in Kolkata this morning to catch a glimpse of Lionel Messi. But what could have been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness live one of the greatest footballers of their time turned out to be a nightmare.
In Kolkata since early this morning, Messi’s brief appearance at Salt Lake Stadium left many fans upset. Surrounded by dignitaries and politicians, his presence did not allow even one glimpse to thousands of fans who had paid up to Rs 14,000 per ticket.
Their anger turned to chaos as vandalism followed, leaving the organisers and security teams at a loss over how to bring the situation under control.
Then erupted a political uproar, with the BJP attacking Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for “total embarrassment” at a global stage. Banerjee apologised and formed an inquiry panel led by a retired judge. Governor CV Ananda Bose ordered the arrest of the organiser and the refund of ticket money.
Amid all the chaos that followed, a senior Trinamool leader close to Banerjee declared, “Kolkata is ashamed.”
What Happened At Salt Lake Stadium
Messi, an icon for millions of football fans across the world, had arrived in Kolkata early this morning in the first leg of his three-day India tour. After unveiling a statue of himself in the city, he had reached Salt Lake Stadium, where thousands of his fans had gathered to catch a glimpse of their favourite footballer.
Read: Messi Event Organiser Arrested After Massive Chaos In Kolkata; Anti-Riot Force At Stadium
The joy, however, was short-lived. Many couldn’t spot the football icon in the crowd that surrounded him. The disgruntled fans showed their disapproval by booing the officials. Chairs and bottles were thrown onto the ground.
Security protocols went for a toss as many stormed the field. Some vandalised stadium infrastructure. As the situation spiraled out of control, Messi’s stadium lap had to be cut short, and he was whisked away by the organisers of the ‘GOAT tour.’
With the police struggling to ensure law and order, the riot control force had to be called to the stadium.
Read: What Led To Lionel Messi’s Kolkata Event Turning Into Total Chaos – Explained
Angry fans started demanding their money back as they alleged poor arrangement at the stadium as Messi headed to the airport for a flight Hyderabad, his next India stop.
Kolkata Left Embarrassed
The incident left the state government red-faced, facing an assembly election within months. The BJP called out the “sheer mismanagement” and branded it as an “embarrassment” at the global stage. Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala declared, “Mamata Banerjee can’t organise or manage an event.”
Banerjee said she was “shocked by the mismanagement” at the Salt Lake Stadium and apologised to Messi and his fans in a public post. She also ordered an inquiry to be led by judge Ashim Kumar Ray alongside the state’s top bureaucrats to fix responsibility.
Read: Mamata Banerjee’s Public Apology To Messi, Fans After Kolkata Event Chaos
The chief minister’s Trinamool party also hit out at the organisers, with a senior office-bearer questioning why it wasn’t ensured that Messi was visible to the crowd.
“Did this enhance Kolkata’s reputation? Why didn’t the incompetent organizers leave even a mark of minimal planning? Just money? Just business? Kolkata was shamed. The spectators’ anger is justified,” said Trinamool general secretary Kunal Ghosh, distancing his party from the event.
Governor CV Ananda Bose was left shocked as well. He blamed both the organiser and the police, calling it “a dark day for the sports-loving people of Kolkata.” He also listed 12 directives, including a judicial inquiry, arrest of the organiser, and the ticket refund.
Moments later, an FIR was registered against Shatadru Dutta, the main organiser of the event, and he was arrested.
