Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], December 16 : Hailing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for taking strict action against the people responsible for law and order during the Lionel Messi's Kolkata visit, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh said on Tuesday that the CM has done what BJP ruled states or even the Communist Parties could not do while governing Bengal.
"Our Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is following her duties. During the CPM time, in 1980 in August, when 16 people were killed, then the CPM government did not do anything. CPM did so many wrong things, they didn't investigate anything, and on the other hand, or Chief Minister has ordered an investigation," Ghosh said in a self-made video.
"At this time, Raj Dharm, which something BJP, or CPM did not do, that is what Mamata ji did. It can be possible that whatever happened that day there is a big conspiracy behind it, post holders responsible that day were there, investigation has started and government has taken strong steps," he added.
Talking on the resignation of now former Sports Minister Aroop Biswas, he said that Biswas had only made an appeal to step down due to the ongoing investigation into the tour's mismanagement.
"Aroop Biswas has written a letter to Mamata Banerjee that based on the ongoing investigation, he wants to leave his post, this appeal was done by Aroop Biswas, this is a matter of the government and CM," TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said.
Earlier today, the West Bengal 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.
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose had demanded the minister's resignation and action against all those in the Government who have "vicarious liability for the untoward incident."
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 so as to ensure smooth conduct of the event."
The services of Deb Kumar Nandan, CEO of Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan (VYBK), have been withdrawn with immediate effect for his role in mismanagement and lapses in the proper conduct of the event, the state government said.
Earlier, the promoter and organiser of football star Lionel Messi's GOAT India Tour 2025, Satadru Dutta, was sent to 14 days of police custody. Messi's Kolkata leg of the GOAT Tour descended into chaos on Saturday as fans who paid high ticket prices at Salt Lake Stadium's event began throwing bottles and attempting to break the gates between the stands after the Argentine legend left early.