The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) intensified its attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, demanding her immediate resignation over the chaotic scenes that marred football icon Lionel Messi’s appearance at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium during the first leg of the GOAT India Tour. Calling the episode an administrative failure and a national embarrassment, senior BJP leaders accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government of gross mismanagement, political grandstanding and exploiting football fans who had paid heavily to attend the event.
Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, launched a blistering attack on the state government, accusing ministers and ruling party leaders of monopolising access to Messi while ordinary spectators were left frustrated. “Extreme chaos at Lionel Messi’s event at Yuva Bharati, where leaders, ministers and celebrities clung to Messi like leeches,” Adhikari said in a post on X. He alleged that while fans were charged thousands of rupees for tickets, they were left with “just five to seven minutes of viewing on the giant screen”.
“The moment Lionel Messi entered Yuva Bharati, at least 100 leaders, ministers, their relatives and sycophants swarmed around him. There was no way for spectators in the gallery to see him,” he said. Adhikari further claimed that spectators were not allowed to carry water bottles and were instead forced to buy overpriced water inside the stadium. “Even vultures are better than these people,” he said, alleging that Trinamool leaders had “cashed in on the opportunity”.
The BJP leader demanded a full refund for all gallery ticket-holders and called for the arrest of Sports Minister Arup Biswas, Minister Sujit Basu and chief organiser Shatadru Datta for what he described as a breakdown of law and order. “Mamata Banerjee must resign immediately for tarnishing West Bengal’s reputation before the entire world,” Adhikari said, accusing the ruling party of prioritising photo opportunities over public safety.
Senior BJP Sukanta Majumdar echoed the call for the Chief Minister’s resignation, describing the incident as emblematic of what he called the state’s “administrative collapse”. “Thousands of sports enthusiasts paid hefty sums hoping to catch a glimpse of Lionel Messi. Instead, the unruly and barbaric conduct of Trinamool workers, coupled with staggering mismanagement, forced him to turn back,” Majumdar said. He also alleged that some Trinamool leaders had “hijacked the programme” and that a black market for high-priced tickets was operating openly.
“The disgraceful behaviour of party cadres, and the complete lack of planning and professionalism by the police and administration, represents a total failure of governance—for which the Chief Minister alone must bear responsibility,” he added.
The BJP’s West Bengal unit also accused the ruling party of eroding Bengal’s historic association with football. “Bengal and football were once synonymous,” the party said in a social media post. “A World Cup-winning footballer visits the city of football, and there is complete mismanagement. Is this a conspiracy to destroy every aspect of Bengali identity, including our love for football?” it asked.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed shock over the developments and issued a public apology to Messi and football fans. “I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium,” she said in a post on X. “I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident,” she added. Banerjee announced the formation of a high-level enquiry committee chaired by retired Justice Ashim Kumar Ray, with the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Hill Affairs) as members. “The committee will conduct a detailed enquiry, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future,” she said.
Lionel Messi reached Salt Lake Stadium around 11:30 am, where he was immediately surrounded by political leaders, former footballers and organisers. This tight cordon meant large sections of the packed stands were unable to see the Argentine star. Despite waving briefly to the crowd and attempting a lap of honour, repeated efforts to clear a viewing path failed.
As Messi exited the stadium under heavy security, tempers flared. Sections of the crowd hurled bottles, chairs and posters, while loud boos echoed across the venue. Minutes later, fans breached barricades, entered the central area and vandalised temporary structures. Police struggled to control the situation for nearly an hour, forcing the deployment of the Rapid Action Force. Messi, who was accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, was escorted out early for safety reasons.
