A political storm has erupted over the chaos that ensued during football star Lionel Messi’s visit to Kolkata. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma launched a scathing attack on the West Bengal government, calling it a “complete failure of law and order” in the state. He blamed Bengal’s VIP culture for the entire incident.
‘Accountability must be fixed from the top’
Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the responsibility for the incident lies with the state’s Home Minister and the Kolkata Police Commissioner. He said, “The responsibility lies with the state’s Home Minister, who is also the Chief Minister, and the Kolkata Police Commissioner. Accountability must start from the top.” He also clarified that he was not speaking for or against the arrest of the event organizer, but the primary responsibility rests with the government and the police administration.
Sarma compared the situation in Bengal to other states, saying that even large events there remain peaceful. He said, “After Zubeen Garg’s death, there were about 10 lakh people on the streets of Guwahati for three days, but there was no incident. Post Malone’s concert also went peacefully. The Women’s World Cup final was played in Mumbai, and everything was fine.” He further added, “West Bengal has become a state where anything is unpredictable. VIP culture is at its peak there.”
Appeal to Mamata Banerjee for introspection
The Assam Chief Minister said that this incident should be a subject of introspection for the Bengal government. He said, “Messi is an icon for the whole world. Mamata Banerjee should think about this. Innocent people are being subjected to atrocities every day in Bengal, which is extremely worrying.”
There was tremendous excitement surrounding Messi’s visit to Kolkata as part of his ‘GOAT Tour 2025’. However, it is alleged that a crowd of VIPs and politicians stormed the stadium, preventing ordinary spectators, who had purchased tickets, from even getting a proper glimpse of Messi. Fans enraged after Messi’s early departure
According to reports, the situation escalated after Messi left the venue early. Angry fans began chanting slogans and vandalizing the stadium. Some threw bottles and chairs onto the field, damaged tents and goalposts, and even breached the security cordon. Police used mild force to control the situation.
To bring the situation under control, police used mild force to disperse the crowd. Later, West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose announced that the event organizer had been arrested.
Opposition accuses government of mismanagement
Following the incident, opposition parties have accused the Trinamool Congress government of mismanagement. The opposition claims that the government and administration’s negligence led to chaos at a major international event, causing distress to ordinary spectators.
