The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday launched a sharp attack on West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the violent chaos that erupted during Argentine football star Lionel Messi’s event at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium, accusing the state government of mismanagement, corruption and betrayal of football fans.
BJP leaders alleged that ordinary spectators who paid thousands of rupees for tickets were denied proper access to Messi, while ministers, celebrities and other VIPs occupied the immediate vicinity of the footballer during his brief appearance. The party claimed fans were left watching the event on giant screens for only a few minutes before disorder broke out.
West Bengal LoP Demands Full Refund
In a strongly worded statement, the Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Suvendu Adhikari demanded a full refund for all ticket holders and called for the arrest of state Sports Minister Arup Biswas, Fire Minister Sujit Bose and the event organiser, alleging government-backed mismanagement. The BJP also demanded accountability from the chief minister, accusing her administration of damaging the state’s image.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the event reflected “complete chaos and administrative failure,” alleging that ticket black-marketing had taken place and that crowd control and security arrangements were inadequate. He said the ruling party was responsible for turning a high-profile international sporting event into disorder.
Whereas, Suvendu Adhikari also called it a, pathetic spectacle in Kolkata today.
TMC And Mismanagement Best Friends
“The TMC has become synonymous with mismanagement. A global icon like Lionel Messi came to India, and the event was ruined,” Poonawalla said, warning that the situation could have escalated into a major tragedy.
The BJP further accused the TMC of exploiting fans emotionally and financially, linking the incident to a series of alleged scams previously flagged by the opposition. Party leaders said apologies alone were insufficient and insisted on legal action, resignations and refunds for spectators.
The Trinamool Congress has not responded to the latest allegations. Earlier, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had apologised for the incident and assured that corrective steps would be taken.
