As Kolkata picked up the pieces after the chaotic Lionel Messi event at Salt Lake stadium on Saturday, the Opposition BJP has accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of misusing the football icon for its election propaganda ahead of the next year’s Assembly polls in the state.
Leader of Opposition in Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday demanded a court-monitored investigation, and arrest of TMC ministers Aroop Biswas and Sujit Bose. The party also demanded a refund of the “exorbitant” ticket prices, including a Rs 200 water bottle that was sold at the stadium.
“The Trinamool Congress tried to forcefully use Messi for election propaganda, like ripening mangoes with carbide… They treated Messi as their personal property. Just months before elections, they tried to misuse people’s emotional attachment to football. We are ashamed. We appeal to turn the wave of condemnation that has been ongoing since yesterday into a movement of protest,” Adhikari said at a press conference, where he was accompanied by
All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey.
“We demand a proper investigation, not by people connected to Mamata Banerjee’s family. We demand the arrest of minister Aroop Biswas and Minister Sujit Bose. We also demand a refund of the huge amount of money taken through ticket sales. We want to know who gave permission for the scam where a Rs 20 water bottle was sold for Rs 200. It must be investigated who all were involved. Did Aroop Biswas import these arrangements, or did Sujit Bose get this done through his “robber councillors”? They must be summoned and investigated.”
The senior BJP leader alleged that the sponsor companies of Saturday’s event were closely linked to the Trinamool Congress. “That is why, for the first time in 15 years, Mamata Banerjee was forced to turn her car around and flee.”
Alleging a “massive commercial racket” beyond mere mismanagement, Adhikari dismissed the CM’s committee as biased, calling for a court-monitored investigation instead.”
“The FIR is full of flaws, drafted to protect ministers,” Adhikari alleged, questioning why the CRPF was blamed and pointing to the arrest of chief organiser Satadru Dutta as a “scapegoating”.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Shankudev Panda wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
“This is completely a scam. The organisers used public money to generate hype ahead of the elections. A huge amount of illegal money was circulated by selling tickets in excessive amounts in the black market,” read the letter.
The Left and the Congress also hit out at the TMC.
CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty questioned why ministers were not arrested, saying the committee was an “eyewash”. “What is the point of arresting Satadru Dutta? why not the ministers be arrested, those fans who were cheated, have they been refunded? What is the point of the committee, it is just an eyewash. The Biswas brothers and Chief Ministers’ family were there. The CM and the ministers are to be held responsible and they should be brought to book. She who always speaks of Biswa Bangla has shamed Bengal before the entire world yesterday,” he said.
Congress state president Subhankar Sarkar contrasted the Kolkata mess with a “beautifully handled” Messi event in Congress-ruled Hyderabad, promising to bring Messi back if Congress comes to power in Bengal.
Countering the allegations TMC MP Saugata Roy said, “The Chief Minister has appointed an inquiry committee. So it is not for us to comment on the matter. We condemn the BJP for bringing politics into a sports event.”
Immediately after the debacle, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee apologised on social media and announced a three-member inquiry committee. The inquiry committee, led by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and Home Secretary Nandini Chakraborty, inspected the stadium on Sunday.