BJP MP Shashank Mani criticises West Bengal government after stampede at Messi event

New Delhi [India], December 17 (ANI): BJP MP Shashank Mani on Wednesday criticised West Bengal Mamata Banerjee over the chaos and vandalism at Lionel Messi's event at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
Speaking to ANI, he said that the chaos reflects the total ignorance of the state government, further underlining that the party people will condemn such anarchy.
"The chaos caused by Messi's arrival stems from the state government's ignorance...Under her ( CM Mamata Banerjee) leadership, they organised an event that led to a stampede... Mamata Banerjee should understand that Bengal won't run on this kind of anarchy, and if such anarchy occurs, our people will condemn it," he said.
Earlier, 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 and 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.
"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 said.
Meanwhile, 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. (ANI)