Messi Event Mismanagement Triggers a major political shake-up in West Bengal after Sports Minister Arup Biswas resigned on Tuesday. The resignation followed chaos and arson incidents after football legend Lionel Messi’s exit from the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan on December 13.
The event, meant to celebrate Messi’s presence, witnessed severe crowd mismanagement. Several areas near the stadium saw vandalism and unrest. Questions soon emerged over administrative lapses and poor coordination by authorities.
Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh confirmed through a social media post that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accepted Biswas’s resignation. The move signals accountability amid growing public criticism.
The state government has also initiated action against senior officials. Chief Secretary Manoj Pant issued a press release confirming show cause notices to top police officers. These include West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar and Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Mukesh Kumar. The notices seek explanations for security and crowd control failures.
Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Principal Secretary of the Youth Affairs and Sports Department, has also received a show cause notice. The government wants detailed reports on planning gaps and response delays.
The incident has sparked intense debate over event preparedness in the state. Opposition parties have demanded stricter action. The government maintains that corrective steps will follow after reviewing responses.
