In a significant development following the chaotic Lionel Messi event in Kolkata, the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government on Tuesday accepted state minister Aroop Biswas's offer to step back from his role as the sports minister. The move comes pending a "fair and impartial enquiry" into the fiasco that led to unprecedented vandalism at the Salt Lake stadium. The sports portfolio will be temporarily handled by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself.
The Trigger: A Hug and a Security Breach
Aroop Biswas, a powerful Trinamool Congress leader and a self-confessed Messi admirer, found himself at the centre of the storm after videos from Saturday's event showed him repeatedly hugging and tugging at the football superstar. His family members were also seen taking photographs with Messi, actions that critics say epitomized the VIP culture that marred the event.
The situation escalated when CRPF personnel had to intervene and push Biswas away as Messi appeared visibly uncomfortable. This perceived breach in the star's security protocol, coupled with a phalanx of politicians and organisers blocking the view for paying spectators, ignited public fury. Fans, who had paid between Rs 5,000 and Rs 16,000 for tickets, erupted in anger just 20 minutes into the event.
Unprecedented Vandalism and Political Fallout
The anger quickly turned into violent vandalism, a scene rarely witnessed in Kolkata. Spectators stormed the playing area, uprooted chairs and used them as missiles, tore up tents and goalpost nets, and shattered the fibreglass roof of the players' tunnel. The chaos forced Messi to leave the ground in just 22 minutes, over 40 minutes before his scheduled departure.
Within the Trinamool Congress, senior leaders felt growing pressure for accountability. With crucial assembly polls due next year, Biswas's position as the face of the "Messi mess" was seen as untenable and a potential burden for the party. A senior cabinet minister explained the rationale, stating that by partially "sacrificing" the face of the controversy, the administration could stem public anger and deflect opposition criticism.
A Strategic Resignation and Continued Influence
The resignation process unfolded through social media posts by Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh. At 2:28 PM, Ghosh posted that Aroop Biswas had resigned and written to the party chief. The handwritten, unsigned note in Bengali was dated December 15. By 4:23 PM, a note from the Chief Minister's Office confirmed that CM Mamata Banerjee had accepted the offer, stating Biswas was "very much correct" and that she would oversee the sports department until the inquiry concludes.
Despite stepping down from the sports ministry, Aroop Biswas remains a pivotal figure in the state cabinet and the party. He will continue to hold the portfolios of Power and Housing and serves as the party treasurer. His influence, along with that of his clan, remains substantial in the Tollygunge belt and Bengal's cultural landscape. His brother, Swaroop Biswas, wields significant clout in Tollywood as the head of a major cine technicians' federation.
Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh framed the resignation as an act of "raj dharma" (duty of governance) and a testament to the party's transparency. He contrasted it with the past, claiming that such accountability was missing during previous regimes. Meanwhile, Biswas's offices in New Alipore, Indrani Park, and Bijoygarh wore a deserted look on Tuesday, with party workers confirming his absence for the past three days.
