Messi event fiasco: Aroop Biswas quits sports portfolio, CM Mamata Banerjee takes charge

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday accepted Aroop Biswas’s resignatio n from the sports and youth welfare portfolio following the controversy over the mismanagement of football icon Lionel Messi’s event in Kolkata last week. The chief minister will now directly oversee the sports department , a senior Trinamool Congress leader confirmed.

Biswas will, however, continue as a cabinet minister , retaining charge of the power department, indicating that the decision was limited to the sports portfolio.

The move follows widespread criticism over the chaos that unfolded at the Salt Lake Stadium on December 13 , when Messi made a brief appearance. Alleged crowd control failures and security lapses led to angry spectators vandalising parts of the stadium after the Argentine star left the venue. Officials have estimated the damage at around Rs 2 crore .

Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said Biswas had written to the chief minister seeking to step aside to ensure a neutral and unhindered probe into the incident. The resignation was accepted on Tuesday.

While ministerial resignations over administrative fiascos are uncommon in current politics, the development is being seen as an attempt by the state leadership to signal accountability after the embarrassment caused by the high profile event. At the same time, Biswas’s continuation in the cabinet reflects a measured political response rather than a complete exit.

The controversy intensified after videos showing Biswas close to Messi during the event went viral, triggering criticism over optics even as many spectators struggled to get a clear view of the football icon.

Based on preliminary findings of a high level inquiry committee, the government has initiated swift administrative action. Show cause notices have been issued to the DGP and Bidhannagar police commissioner, seeking explanations within 24 hours.

Bidhannagar Deputy Police Commissioner Aneesh Sarkar has been suspended, while show cause notices were also issued to the state sports secretary. In addition, the stadium CEO has been removed, and a Special Investigation Team has been formed to conduct a detailed probe.

Opposition parties have stepped up their attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress, demanding responsibility at the highest levels for what they described as a serious failure in managing a marquee international sporting event.

Repeated attempts to contact Aroop Biswas for comment were unsuccessful, and he has not made any public statement since submitting his resignation letter.

The episode has turned what was meant to be a celebratory football event into a major administrative and political flashpoint, prompting rare ministerial accountability and sweeping official action in West Bengal’s sports administration.