The Aryavarth Express
Nagpur (Maharashtra):
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Manisha Kayande on Sunday strongly criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the alleged mismanagement of Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi’s event in Kolkata, saying the incident had “damaged India’s image” on the global stage.
Calling the event a “complete mess,” Kayande blamed the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government for the chaos that unfolded at Salt Lake Stadium. “This is the mess Mamata Banerjee has created with Messi’s event. The entire programme was a failure. When a global icon like Messi leaves in just 10 minutes, it reflects poorly on the country. An investigation should be conducted into how such mismanagement occurred,” she said.
The controversy erupted on Saturday during the Kolkata leg of Messi’s GOAT Tour when the football legend reportedly left the venue much earlier than scheduled. Disappointed fans, many of whom had paid large sums to attend the event, expressed their anger by throwing water bottles and chairs from the stands. Some spectators also entered the field and attempted to vandalise the stage setup and goalposts, prompting security concerns.
Following the incident, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) issued a clarification, stating that the event was a private programme organised by a public relations agency and that the federation had no role in its planning or execution. The AIFF emphasised that crowd management, safety, and security must be the top priority at high-profile sporting events.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee later apologised for the incident, expressing shock over the mismanagement. In a post on X, she said she was deeply disturbed by what transpired at the stadium and offered her apologies to Lionel Messi as well as to fans and sports lovers who had gathered to attend the event.
The incident has triggered a political row, with opposition leaders demanding accountability and a thorough probe into the lapses that led to the chaotic scenes at the stadium.
