Messi Kolkata event chaos sparks TMC-BJP political slugfest: 'Pre-planned conspiracy'

The chaos and vandalism that Kolkata witnessed during an event hosting ace Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi at its iconic Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan stadium on Saturday (December 13) have resulted in a political slugfest. After West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) was accused of mishandling the show involving the World Cup-winning footballer who is currently on the GOAT India Tour 2025, it has countered, asking whether the events that unfolded at the football stadium in the city's Salt Lake area were “pre-planned”.

Why saffron flag at venue, asks TMC

It asked why some spectators were carrying a saffron flag to the non-political event, giving enough indication that the Messi episode not only turned messy but also a platform for political wrestling ahead of the state elections early next year.

Also read: West Bengal Governor 'denied' entry at Salt Lake Stadium amid Messi event chaos

TMC leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Kunal Ghosh said while speaking with news agency ANI that, “Whatever happened is very unfortunate. This should not have happened. Fans were upset because Messi was surrounded, and they could not even catch a glimpse of him. This was not a state government programme. It was the responsibility of the private organiser to make sure proper arrangements were made.”

Citing that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has apologised to Messi and the sport-lovers for the disappointing outcome at the stadium on Saturday, Ghosh said a committee has been set up under the leadership of a retired judge to look into the episode. He then asked why some people were chanting “Jai Shri Ram” with a saffron flag?

“Why were they misusing the emotions of football fans, and were they involved in vandalism? Was this pre-planned?” he asked.

'Bangladesh-like situation'

Party spokesperson Riju Dutta also raised a question over the presence of the saffron flag. In a post on X on Sunday (December 14), he asked, “What's the correlation between 'Messi' & 'Ram'?? A pre-planned conspiracy to defame Bengal was executed perfectly! A Bangladesh-like scene was witnessed in Salt Lake Stadium during the #GOATIndiaTour of #LionelMessiInKolkata.”

Also read: Messi meets Rahul Gandhi as football icon dazzles Hyderabad on GOAT India Tour

“Bangladesh was destroyed by Jamaat, similarly Saffron Terrorists are trying to destroy Bengal!” he added.

He said the vandals were neither fans of Messi nor the game, but those who raised “Jai Shri Ram” slogans, waved a saffron flag, and destroyed the stadium to "defame Bengal".

Fans blame Trinamool politicians

The stadium wore the look of a battlefield after fans were irate by the fact that they could not be able to view Messi despite paying large amounts for the tickets. They blamed local politicians and the organisers of the events, saying they surrounded the ace footballer all the time and allowed those close to them to meet him and take photographs with him. After the footballer left, many angry fans tried to enter the turf, threw water bottles and vandalised properties such as chairs, and the police, although taken aback initially, resorted to mild force to bring things under control.

Also read: ‘What is happening?’: Confused Messi cuts short Kolkata appearance

Aroop Biswas, the state’s sports and youth affairs minister, particularly faced the fans’ ire as he walked around the stadium with the esteemed guests, including Messi and Uruguayan footballer Luis Suarez.

While the CM apologised and the TMC said it was not a state government event, the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) flayed the ruling party for the chaos.

BJP leader flays Trinamool

“Today, the TMC has become a symbol of complete mismanagement and chaos. A great player like Messi came to India, and his entire event at the Kolkata stadium was ruined. The TMC is entirely responsible for this. The administration, police, and security were nowhere to be seen. I have been told that tickets were even being sold on the black market. If a stampede like the one in Bengaluru had occurred there, who would have been responsible?” asked BJP’s national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla, referring to the fatal stampede in Bengaluru in June this year after the Royal Challengers Bengaluru lifted their maiden Indian Premier League trophy.

After an early departure from Kolkata, Messi reached Hyderabad later on Saturday, where he played an exhibition match with a team of the Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. He reached Mumbai on Sunday and would visit New Delhi, where he would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (December 15).