TMC, BJP, Cong slam organisers for chaos at Messi event, CPI(M) calls it 'black day' for Bengal

Kolkata, Dec 13 (PTI) Both ruling Trinamool Congress and opposition BJP lashed out at the organisers of an event featuring Lionel Messi in Salt Lake stadium on Saturday, which ended in chaos as irate spectators went on a vandalisation spree for not having a proper view of the football icon.

Demanding action against the organisers, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said in a statement that the "overzealousness" of the organisers and people close to them to crowd Messi and take selfies with him prevented the spectators from the gallery, who shelled out hefty amounts for the event, from having a proper view of the football star, and it infuriated them.

"Why should no action be taken against the organisers for this mess? Why was there no proper planning? Why did chaos break out? It forced Messi to leave the stadium and the chief minister of West Bengal could not attend and accord him a warm welcome on behalf of the people of the state," the TMC state general secretary said.

Describing the incident as a big let-down for the sport-lovers of the state, Ghosh said that in 2011, when Messi came to the stadium for the first time, the event was so well-organised.

"I remember there was a match and Messi took the corner kick 50 metres from my press gallery seat. Everything went off so smoothly and Kolkata held its head high then," he said.

BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya alleged that "some fraudsters, in their greed to mint money, created this situation".

Stating that the entire responsibility for this mess lies with the state government, he alleged that TMC leaders indulged "greedy organisers, who were busy with self publicity, depriving people, who bought tickets, to have a proper view of the football icon".

Bhattacharya said that the incident tarnished the image of the state.

Union minister and senior BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar slammed the TMC and the state administration for the chaos.

Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, launched a scathing attack on the state government, alleging that ministers and leaders "clung to Messi like leeches", while football fans who paid thousands of rupees were left watching him on the giant screen for barely a few minutes.

In a post on X, Adhikari accused Sports Minister Arup Biswas, Fire Minister Sujit Basu and the organisers of turning the event into a "money-making exercise".

He also demanded a 100 per cent refund for gallery ticket-holders, arrest of those responsible, and sought Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's resignation for "discrediting West Bengal before the world".

The Congress also attacked the TMC government, with West Bengal state president Subhankar Sarkar describing the episode as "terrible mismanagement and a mockery of law and order".

He alleged that in the name of Messi, tickets were sold at exorbitant prices to innocent fans, while the footballer was surrounded only by TMC leaders and members of their families.

"Crores of public money were spent so that TMC leaders could get photographs clicked with Messi. This is a new-age scam after Sarada and Narada," Sarkar alleged, demanding personal accountability of the organiser, and police and sports ministers and the local MLA.

Congress spokesperson Suman Roy Chaudhuri echoed similar sentiments, demanding the arrest of the sports minister and questioning the role of the police administration.

He alleged that the episode exposed the "commercial face" of the government and called for legal action over the mess.

CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty termed the mismanagement a "black day" for West Bengal, blaming the TMC government for failure of law and order.

Drawing a contrast with the visits of football legend Diego Maradona during the Left Front regime, Chakraborty alleged that the government was more focused on making money in Messi's name than ensuring spectators' safety and experience. PTI SUS SCH ACD