SOURCE :- SIASAT NEWS
Kolkata: The organiser of Lionel Messi’s India tour, which descended into chaos at Salt Lake Stadium here last year, claimed on Wednesday, June 17, that the football legend’s communication team has written to the police, holding former West Bengal minister Aroop Biswas responsible for the fiasco.
The communication purportedly exonerated Satadru Dutta, the event organiser, from charges of mismanagement for which he was previously arrested and jailed during the erstwhile TMC regime.
The Bidhannagar Police, recipients of the reported communication, however, remained tight-lipped about the development.
“An email arrived today. The consultant and adviser associated with Messi’s India tour has written to the Commissioner of Police, Bidhannagar. Even on the day I was arrested, they repeatedly told the police about the role of the then sports minister. But the police ignored it and made me a scapegoat because Aroop Biswas was a minister at that time,” Dutta told PTI.
According to Dutta, he has access to the communication which held the former sports minister accountable for the breach of protocol and security arrangements that disrupted the event.
“They have now directly emailed the Bidhannagar Police Commissioner and have also conveyed that they are willing to provide further information, if required,” he claimed.
In the email dated June 17, Messi’s team reportedly stated that the decision to end the programme early was beyond the control of the event promoter.
“In my opinion, the unfortunate decision to have to terminate the event early was not in the control of the event promoter, Mr Satadru Dutta, and he was not responsible for this. Rather, it was a precautionary measure necessitated by the breach of event protocol and security arrangements on the ground by parties that were not part of the original event plan,” the letter said.
The letter, shared by Dutta and the authenticity of which could not be verified by PTI, further alleged that the approved protocol for Messi’s appearance at the stadium was violated.
“During Mr Messi’s appearance at the stadium, the approved protocol of there being no dignitaries on the field and (permission of) only three camera operators was disrupted when the then sports minister entered the field of play and became involved in activities that were not part of the scheduled programme,” it said.
The communication also claimed that there were repeated unscheduled interactions with Messi and that the presence of several unauthorised persons, along with around 40 unaccredited photographers and camera operators in restricted areas, created security concerns and disrupted the planned events on the field.
It stated that Messi’s early departure was “purely a consequence of unauthorised personnel becoming involved on the field and trying to alter the agreed plans”, coupled with security concerns arising from the presence of unaccredited individuals in restricted zones.
The new sports minister, Dr Indranil Khan, said that his predecessor should be held responsible for whatever had happened during Messi’s event at the Salt Lake Stadium.
“Whatever happened during that event is very, very unfortunate. The incumbent minister should be held responsible for the sufferings of those who came to see the star footballer. They had to pay Rs 100 for a Rs 10 drinking water bottle and Rs 15,000 for passes,” Khan told PTI.
“He (Biswas) himself should be professionally and personally sorry as he touched Messi without his consent. The footballer did not react as he is a gentleman, but silently walked out of the event. Mr Biswas has a lot to answer to the people of Bengal and to the country,” the minister said.
The event at the Salt Lake Stadium on December 13 last year had descended into chaos after a large number of people entered the venue allegedly without valid access, leading to security breaches and crowd disorder.
Many spectators who had bought expensive tickets complained that they could neither properly see Messi nor enjoy the programme due to overcrowding and mismanagement.
Messi left the ground quickly amid the commotion, following which sections of angry spectators vandalised parts of the stadium.
The controversy had triggered a political storm at the time, with fingers being pointed at the then sports minister Aroop Biswas over alleged lapses in planning and crowd management.
The police later arrested Dutta on charges of mismanagement. He was subsequently released on bail after spending over a month in jail.
What was supposed to be a marquee football spectacle turned into widespread violence and disorder at the stadium on December 13 after Messi’s brief and tightly ring-fenced appearance, leaving large sections of the crowd frustrated.
Angry fans, many of whom had paid Rs 4,000 to Rs 12,000 — and in some cases up to Rs 20,000 in the black market — for the event, indulged in vandalism at the venue after failing to get even a glimpse of their favourite superstar from Argentina.
The police have launched an investigation into the alleged irregularities surrounding the Messi event. Biswas had been summoned thrice by the police, but the TMC leader did not appear before the officers.
The case stems from a complaint lodged by Dutta, who accused Biswas of ticket black-marketing, extortion, cheating and criminal intimidation in connection with the Messi event held at Salt Lake Stadium.
SOURCE : SIASAT
