Suvendu demands arrest of 2 Bengal ministers for Messi event fiasco

Kolkata: Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday went to the Salt Lake stadium complex, which witnessed widespread spectator rampage during a marquee football event featuring Argentine legend Lionel Messi on December 13.

The senior BJP leader could not enter the stadium as the gates of the complex were locked.

Adhikari said that he had come to assess the damage to the stadium, which is public property.

"As a leader of the Opposition, I have a moral responsibility to protect public properties. The vandalism caused by outraged spectators due to mismanagement by the organisers and West Bengal government is inexplicable", he said.

Football fans went on a rampage inside the stadium as they were not able to catch a glimpse of Messi, as he was surrounded by VIPs and other officials.

Adhikari demanded the arrest of West Bengal ministers Sujit Bose and Aroop Biswas and alleged that crores of rupees have been looted in the name of the event.

"I demand the arrest of Sujit Bose and Aroop Biswas", he said.

Adhikari said football fans who have been arrested in this connection will be given legal support and the saffron party will also approach the court for quashing of FIRs filed against them.

Earlier in the day, at a press conference, state BJP president Shamik Bhattacharya said that those arrested were those who bought tickets at hefty prices.

"The entire Trinamool Congress party is involved in causing the fiasco", he alleged.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday accepted Sports minister Aroop Biswas's resignation, while the state government show-caused the DGP and other senior officers, and suspended a deputy commissioner of police for the alleged mismanagement of the Lionel Messi event at the Salt Lake Stadium.