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New Delhi: Leader of the Opposition in the Bengal Assembly and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the chaos that erupted during the felicitation ceremony of Argentine football legend Lionel Messi at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday. Several opposition voices and social media users have termed the incident an “international embarrassment,” accusing the administration of gross mismanagement.
In a fiery post on social media, Adhikari alleged that the state government’s handling of the event turned a public celebration into what appeared to be an “exclusive private function,” allowing access only to a select group of VIPs. According to the post, the overcrowding of dignitaries and unauthorised attendees allegedly blocked public view of Messi, leaving thousands of genuine fans disappointed despite paying hefty amounts to attend the event.
Sharing an X post, “The epic failure at Salt Lake Stadium has turned Kolkata into a global laughingstock,” the post claimed, directly holding Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her ministers responsible for the chaos. It further alleged that while the public funded the event, ordinary fans were denied the opportunity to see the football star, triggering unrest and confusion at the venue.
The criticism also accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government of attempting to deflect responsibility by blaming a “scapegoat” instead of acknowledging administrative lapses. “Apologies and tactfully shifting blame will not wash away the gross incompetence,” the post said, adding that the incident had embarrassed India on the global stage.
Hashtags such as #ResignMamata and #MessiChaos began trending soon after, reflecting growing political backlash. Opposition leaders have demanded accountability, claiming the incident exposed systemic flaws in crowd management and event planning under the current administration.
The state government, however, has said that steps are being taken to review the incident and prevent similar lapses in the future. Meanwhile, the controversy continues to dominate political discourse in West Bengal, with critics asserting that the state “deserves better” governance.
