The chaos that unfolded at Lionel Messi’s event at the Yuva Bharati Stadium on Saturday has snowballed into a major political and administrative moment for West Bengal, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issuing strong instructions to dismantle VIP culture and enforce accountability across the system, said sources in the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).
Political observers are viewing the incident not as an isolated failure, but as a wake-up call that has prompted corrective action by the state government.
In the aftermath of the disorder and alleged police mismanagement at the stadium, the government accepted the resignation of Sports Minister Arup Biswas and issued show-cause notices to several top officials, including Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar and Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Mukesh Kumar. Show-cause notices were also served on Sports Secretary Rajesh Kumar Sinha, while DC (Security) Anish Sarkar was suspended— moves considered rare and significant in administrative circles.
Ahead of upcoming mega-events such as the Gangasagar Mela during Makar Sankranti and the World Ijtema in Hooghly beginning January 2, the Chief Minister has sent out a firm directive— there will be no VIP culture. Officials said Mamata Banerjee has made it clear that ordinary citizens and pilgrims will not be inconvenienced for the sake of special guests, red beacons, or preferential treatment.
According to senior officials present at Monday’s Gangasagar Mela preparation meeting, Mamata explicitly warned against repeating the mistakes witnessed at Salt Lake. “Learning from the Salt Lake incident, the Chief Minister has made it clear that neither the dominance of red beacons nor the detention of ordinary pilgrims for VIPs will be tolerated,” an official said, adding that her body language reflected a determination to prevent any recurrence of Saturday’s chaos.
Administrative sources believe that excessive privileges extended to VIP pass holders and special invitees were among the key factors that compromised crowd control and public safety at the Messi event. Mamata’s instruction to eliminate VIP culture is therefore being seen as central to restoring discipline and public confidence.
Explaining the political significance of the swift action, political analyst and Political Science professor Raju Roy said the developments must be seen in the context of the 2026 Assembly elections. “The chaos at an event involving a global icon like Messi handed a major political weapon to the opposition. The government could not afford to deflect responsibility. By acting decisively against ministers and top bureaucrats alike, the Chief Minister has sent a message that no one is above accountability,” he said, describing the move as a “surgical strike” to contain public anger and protect the government’s image.
He further noted that issuing show-cause notices to the state police chief and a police commissioner is extremely rare, and that the action taken against senior and mid-level officials has sent a strong signal throughout the administrative hierarchy.
The stakes are now high for the administration. The World Ijtema, returning to West Bengal after 34 years, is expected to draw around 1.8 million people, while the Gangasagar Mela will see lakhs of pilgrims. After the Yuva Bharati incident, confidence in policing and crowd management has been shaken, prompting the government’s announcement of a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to mismanagement and VIP excesses.
A TMC MLA admitted that the Messi event exposed gaps in management but said the Chief Minister’s response reinforced her pro-people stance. “If something goes wrong anywhere, she does not compromise with anyone— whether it is a cabinet minister or a bureaucrat,” the MLA said.
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh echoed the sentiment, stating that Mamata had fulfilled her responsibility as the head of the government. “She ordered a proper investigation and announced corrective measures. In contrast, during incidents like the Eden Gardens tragedies in the 1980s and 1996 under the Left regime, no such accountability was fixed,” he said.
Overall, what began as a failed sporting event has now emerged as a catalyst for sweeping administrative introspection. With firm instructions from the Chief Minister to end VIP culture and enforce accountability, the state government is positioning the upcoming Gangasagar Mela and World Ijtema as critical tests of its resolve to restore order, discipline, and public trust.
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