Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has launched a scathing attack on the West Bengal government after chaotic scenes during Lionel Messi’s visit to Kolkata. Sarma described the event at the Salt Lake Stadium as a ‘VIP extravaganza’ where ordinary fans were sidelined while Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders and their families monopolized access to the football icon. Alleging ‘complete breakdown of law and order’, Sarma demanded accountability from the top, saying, ‘The state home minister, who is the chief minister, and the Kolkata Police commissioner should have been arrested.’ He compared the mismanagement in Bengal to peaceful events elsewhere and blamed the state’s ‘extreme VIP culture’ for the embarrassment. The Assam CM further claimed that the scenes of unrest tell a different story from TMC’s conspiracy allegations.

Former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia has recently strongly criticized the mismanagement at Lionel Messi’s event in Kolkata. Speaking on the chaos that broke out at the Salt Lake Stadium during the ‘GOAT India Tour 2025’, Bhutia blamed the ‘VIP culture’ for depriving genuine fans of catching a glimpse of the Argentina legend. ‘The real fans didn’t really get a chance to see Messi,’ he said. Bhutia said the organizers tried their best, but the situation went out of control due to the presence of unauthorized VIPs at the venue. The football icon expressed hope that such mistakes will not be repeated in future.

In this special report, India Today’s Anirban Sinha Roy reports on the chaotic scenes at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium during Lionel Messi’s historic visit. The journalist highlighted how the ‘neta monkeys’ and their associates, including actress Subhashree Ganguly, hijacked the event, leaving ordinary fans stranded outside. Roy says that while VIPs and their families managed to click pictures with the Argentina legend, genuine ticket holders were denied a glimpse. The broadcast also included political fallout, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanding the resignation of the West Bengal Sports Minister over mismanagement. The report draws a clear distinction between the ‘passion’ of fans and the ‘privilege’ of the ruling class.

A high-profile event in Kolkata featuring football icon Lionel Messi turned into a fiasco at the Salt Lake Stadium. Fans, who had paid huge sums for tickets, vandalized the venue after the show came to an abrupt end. Due to this chaos, political tussle started between Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). TMC accused the opposition of waving saffron flags to instigate trouble, while the BJP blamed the state government and organizers for mismanagement. This report covers the unrest and growing political allegations.