New Delhi [India], December 17 (ANI): Amid sharp political sparring over the chaos that marred football icon Lionel Messi's event in Kolkata, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday defended the West Bengal government, asserting that the state administration acted swiftly and responsibly compared to similar incidents elsewhere in the country.

He criticised the BJP's handling of past incidents, pointing out the Kumbh Mela tragedy and the New Delhi railway station stampede, where many lives were lost.

In contrast, he praised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's swift response to the chaos at Lionel Messi's event at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, where the CM apologised within an hour and initiated action against those responsible.

Reacting to the disorder at Salt Lake Stadium during Messi's GOAT India Tour appearance, Banerjee said, 'So many people were killed at the Kumbh Mela during this government's rule and the New Delhi railway station stampede... Within an hour of the incident in Bengal, the Chief Minister apologised... Action is being taken against everyone... That is why the BJP loses, and the Trinamool defeats them.'

Banerjee's remarks came after Sports Minister Aroop Biswas resigned, taking moral responsibility for mismanagement during the high-profile event. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accepted his resignation.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has assumed charge of the state's sports ministry following the resignation of cabinet minister Aroop Biswas, who stepped down amid a probe into the chaos that erupted during Lionel Messi's appearance at a Kolkata stadium.

Accepting her minister's resignation, an official statement from the CM said, 'Until and unless the impartial inquiry is over, the Sports Department will be looked after by me for the time being.'

'As per the enclosed letter, I appreciate the sentiment and intention of the Sports Minister to offer a relief from the Sports Department for the sake of impartial inquiry into the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) incident on December 13, 2025,' according to an official statement from the state government.

Sports Minister Aroop Biswas resigned on Tuesday following the chaos that erupted during Footballer Messi's GOAT India Tour in Kolkata. Chief Minister Banerjee accepted Biswas' resignation.

The state government also informed that a Special Investigation Team comprising IPS officers Piyush Pandey, Javed Shamim, Supratim Sarkar and Muralidhar has been constituted to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.

The government has already served notice to Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar, ordering him to 'clarify within 24 hours of communication on why such mismanagement and lapses happened in the stadium on the day and why proper coordination with concerned stakeholders, including the private organiser, was not carried out to ensure smooth conduct of the event.'

The West Bengal government has also constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising senior IPS officers Piyush Pandey, Javed Shamim, Supratim Sarkar and Muralidhar to conduct a comprehensive probe into the incident. In addition, Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar has been served with a notice seeking an explanation within 24 hours regarding alleged lapses in planning, crowd control, and coordination with private organisers.

Messi's much-anticipated Kolkata appearance, the first stop of the GOAT Tour 2025, was intended to celebrate the World Cup-winning footballer in one of India's most football-passionate states. However, the event descended into chaos as fans alleged poor visibility and mismanagement, accusing VIPs and politicians of occupying the pitch and monopolising Messi's time.

Angry spectators reportedly resorted to vandalism inside the stadium, claiming they had barely caught a glimpse of the football legend despite having purchased tickets. The incident triggered criticism from opposition parties, prompting the Trinamool Congress to counterattack by highlighting what it called the state government's prompt corrective action.

After Kolkata, Messi visited Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi before concluding his India tour at the Vantara animal sanctuary in Jamnagar, from which he departed the country. (ANI)