BJP Slams Bengal Government Over Chaos at Messi Event in Kolkata

Kolkata: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has stepped up its attack on the Mamata Banerjee–led West Bengal government following chaotic scenes at Salt Lake Stadium during an event attended by football legend Lionel Messi, alleging administrative failure that has “embarrassed Kolkata on the global stage.”

Sharing reports from international media, the BJP claimed the incident had turned the city into an object of worldwide ridicule. Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, posted screenshots of foreign news coverage, describing the episode as “an international disgrace” and blaming what he termed serious administrative mismanagement by the state government.

“The Mamata Banerjee government’s monumental failure at Salt Lake Stadium has reduced Kolkata to a global laughing stock,” Adhikari said. He alleged that a public event, funded by taxpayers, was converted into an exclusive private function for a select few. “An incompetent administration and ministers restricted access, concealed the football icon from public view, and denied ordinary citizens the experience they were promised,” he charged.

Letter to Governor, Demand for Judicial Probe

Calling the incident a “humiliation faced on the world stage,” Adhikari said the Trinamool Congress government could not absolve itself of responsibility by offering apologies or by placing the blame on a convenient scapegoat. He wrote to Governor C.V. Ananda Bose, seeking an independent judicial inquiry into what transpired at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan.

In his letter, Adhikari alleged that a stadium built with public funds had been turned into a “private durbar” for political leaders. He claimed that ticket-holding spectators were denied basic facilities and that their view was obstructed by VIP enclosures. “This was not merely an administrative lapse; it was a public humiliation of citizens, a grotesque display of unchecked political privilege, and a direct assault on the rule of law,” he wrote.

Clashes and Official Response

During the event on Saturday, inadequate arrangements and VIP barricades reportedly prevented large sections of the audience from seeing Messi, triggering anger among spectators and resulting in damage to stadium property. Following the incident, police arrested event organiser Shatadru Dutta. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee subsequently announced the formation of a high-level committee to investigate the matter.

However, Adhikari rejected the credibility of the proposed inquiry, arguing that it lacked independence. He contended that the committee, headed by retired Justice Asim Roy—who holds statutory positions under the state government—would be unable to function impartially. He also alleged that senior officials whose actions were under scrutiny had been included in the panel, further undermining its legitimacy.