Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on December 13 launched a sharp attack on the West Bengal government over the disorder that followed football superstar Lionel Messi’s appearance in Kolkata, calling it a reflection of a complete breakdown of law and order and an excessive culture of VIP privilege.
Drawing comparisons with large public gatherings elsewhere, Sarma said the chaos in Kolkata was entirely avoidable. He cited Assam’s handling of massive crowds after the death of singer Zubeen Garg, when nearly 10 lakh people gathered on Guwahati’s streets over three days without any major incident. He also referred to international music events such as Post Malone’s concert in Guwahati, which saw around 50,000 attendees without disturbances, and other major events like the Women’s World Cup final in Mumbai. According to Sarma, these examples showed that effective planning and crowd management could prevent such situations.
“West Bengal is a state where nothing is predictable. The VIP culture is at an extreme level there,” the chief minister said, holding the state leadership directly responsible for what unfolded during Messi’s stop in Kolkata as part of the ‘GOAT Tour 2025’.
Sarma said accountability should begin with the highest authorities, asserting that responsibility lay with the state’s home minister and the Kolkata Police Commissioner. While clarifying that he was neither defending nor opposing the arrest of the event organiser, he remarked that the chief minister, who also holds the home portfolio, and the police commissioner should have faced consequences for the failure.
Calling Lionel Messi a global icon, Sarma urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to reflect on the incident, adding that it highlighted broader concerns about governance in the state. He alleged that ordinary citizens in Bengal were subjected to daily hardships, describing the situation as deeply worrying.
Messi’s highly anticipated appearance at Salt Lake Stadium descended into turmoil after fans complained that politicians and VIPs occupying the pitch obstructed the view of ticket-holders. Tensions escalated when Messi left the venue earlier than expected, triggering protests, slogan-shouting and acts of vandalism. Reports said agitated fans hurled plastic bottles and chairs onto the field, damaged temporary structures and a goalpost, and breached security barriers, prompting police to use mild force to regain control.
West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose later confirmed that the event organiser had been arrested, even as opposition parties accused the Trinamool Congress-led government of gross mismanagement of the high-profile programme.
