Both the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party criticised the organisers of Lionel Messi’s event at Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday after the programme descended into chaos, with angry spectators resorting to vandalism when they failed to get a proper view of the football legend.
read also: Messi’s Kolkata Visit Ends in Chaos as Fans Breach Security at Salt Lake Stadium
The disorder erupted inside the stadium as disappointed fans, many of whom had paid large sums for tickets, protested what they described as mismanagement and lack of planning. The situation escalated when spectators realised that crowding around Messi by organisers and their associates had blocked the gallery view.
Demanding action against those responsible, Trinamool Congress spokesperson and state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said the organisers’ ‘overzealous’ attempts to surround Messi and take selfies prevented genuine spectators from seeing the star, triggering widespread anger. He questioned why no strict action had been initiated despite the scale of the disruption.
Ghosh said the chaos forced Messi to leave the stadium early and also prevented West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from attending the event and welcoming him on behalf of the state. Calling the incident a major disappointment for sports lovers, he contrasted it with Messi’s earlier visit in 2011, which he recalled as being efficiently organised and widely praised.
The Bharatiya Janata Party echoed the criticism but, placed the blame squarely on the state government. BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya alleged that the situation was created by ‘fraudsters driven by greed’ who prioritised profit and publicity over proper arrangements for fans.
Bhattacharya further accused Trinamool Congress leaders of backing organisers focused on self-promotion, which, he claimed, deprived ticket-buying spectators of a clear view of the football icon. He said the episode had damaged West Bengal’s reputation.
Union Minister and senior BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar also condemned the Trinamool Congress and the state administration, holding them responsible for the mismanagement and chaos at the high-profile event.
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