West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas resigned from his post on Tuesday following widespread chaos and mismanagement at a high-profile event featuring football icon Lionel Messi in Kolkata last week.
In his resignation letter addressed to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Biswas stated that his decision was linked to the ongoing investigation into the lapses during the event. The incident, which was meant to mark Messi’s return to Kolkata after 14 years, instead descended into disorder, prompting public outrage and political controversy.
The event, held on December 13 at Salt Lake Stadium (Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan), was part of the inaugural leg of Messi’s “GOAT India Tour 2025.” Messi appeared alongside fellow football stars Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul. However, fans were left disappointed after Messi spent only around 20 minutes on the field, closely surrounded by officials and security personnel, limiting public interaction.
Thousands of spectators, many of whom had paid between ₹4,000 and over ₹12,000 for tickets, reacted angrily when they failed to get a clear view of the football star or the promised celebratory experience. The situation quickly escalated as bottles and chairs were hurled onto the pitch, stadium property was vandalised, and attempts were made to breach security barricades. Messi was eventually escorted out of the venue for safety reasons.
Several prominent invitees, including actor Shah Rukh Khan, former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself, were unable to participate in the programme as planned due to the unfolding chaos.
West Bengal Police later arrested the main event organiser, Satadru Dutta, and announced that ticket refunds would be issued. The incident also triggered a sharp political exchange, with BJP Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of misusing the event for political publicity and demanding Biswas’ resignation and a judicial inquiry.
While the TMC acknowledged administrative failures, it placed primary responsibility on the organisers. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described the episode as “deeply disturbing,” issued a public apology to Messi and the fans, and constituted a high-level inquiry committee headed by retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Ashim Kumar Ray to examine the lapses and suggest corrective measures.
The resignation of Aroop Biswas marks the first major political fallout from the incident, as investigations into the event’s mismanagement continue.
Originally published on 24×7-news.com.
