Messis Kolkata event chaos: Suvendu Adhikari seeks court-monitored probe, rejects state panel
KOLKATA: Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday demanded a court-monitored inquiry into the chaos that erupted during football legend Lionel Messis event at Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday, rejecting the state governments decision to constitute an internal probe committee . Stepping up his attack on the Trinamool Congress (TMC) ahead of next years Assembly elections, the BJP legislator from Nandigram said his party does not accept the inquiry committee announced by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, headed by retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Asim Kumar Roy. We do not accept this committee. Only an investigation monitored by sitting judges can bring out the truth, Adhikari told reporters. Soon after the incident, Banerjee had formed a committee comprising the state chief secretary, home secretary and Director General of Police to look into the vandalism and security breaches at the stadium. Messis brief appearance, lasting barely 15 minutes, at the packed 60,000-capacity stadium triggered widespread frustration among spectators, many of whom complained that they failed to get a proper glimpse of the football icon despite paying hefty ticket prices. The situation soon descended into chaos, with security protocols allegedly breached inside the venue. Messi's India visit: Kolkata event flops, Hyderabad makes up Accusing the state government of attempting to control the narrative through an in-house inquiry, Adhikari held senior TMC leaders responsible for what he termed gross mismanagement of the event. He demanded the arrest of state fire services minister Sujit Bose and sports minister Aroop Biswas, a close aide of the Chief Minister, and sought refunds for disappointed ticket holders. Raising questions over commercial activities inside the stadium, Adhikari asked who had permitted food items to be brought in and who benefited from their sale, alleging that chips were sold at prices ranging between Rs 150 and Rs 200. He also questioned how bottled water, initially barred from being carried inside by spectators, was later available for sale within the premises. Responding to the allegations, TMC spokesperson Arup Chakraborty said sports minister Aroop Biswas had only been invited to the programme. He also questioned the presence of family members of BJP leaders at the event. Other opposition parties, including the CPI(M) and the Congress, also flagged concerns over the arrangements, particularly the sale of items inside the stadium that were reportedly prohibited. Adhikari was accompanied by several spectators who claimed they were present at the event and suffered due to poor planning. They alleged confusion over entry, lack of clear information and serious crowd-control lapses during the programme. 'We travelled all the way...': Heartbreak for fans as organisers mess up Messi event in Kolkata
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