WB Sports Minister Aroop Biswas resigns citing the need for an “unbiased investigation”

CM Mamata Banerjee to form enquiry committee to probe into the fiasco which erupted after Messi’s visit to Salt Lake stadium

Following the administrative fracas after Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi’s visit to the mecca of Indian football-Kolkata-on December 13,2025, ithe West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas opted for resignation on Tuesday.

In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Biswas expressed his motivations behind resignation on Monday. “Regarding the mess created during Messi’s trip, you have already constituted an investigation team. For an unbiased investigation, I want to resign from the Sports Minister post,” the letter stated.

The Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi, during his promotional ‘G.O.A.T. India tour 2025’, paid a visit to the Salt Lake Stadium or the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan (VBYK) on Saturday. However, widespread discontent erupted as thousands of fans were left harangued as they failed to catch a glimpse of their idol, despite having bought tickets, who was allegedly surrounded by VIPs and politicians belonging to the ruling party and therefore, obfuscated the view. This culminated into a section of the audience resorting to violence and vandalism. At least five spectators have been nabbed by the Bidhannagar Police for their alleged complicity in causing tumult inside the stadium up as per the investigations till December 15.

According to sources, CM Mamata Banerjee has condemned the fiasco which erupted. She has urged ministers and officials to maintain vigilance concerning the involvement of VVIPs during the important programmes. After issuing a public apology on Saturday, Banerjee constituted a high-powered enquiry committee headed by Justice(retd.) Ashim Kumar Ray and comprising of the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Hill Affairs Department, for probing into the mishap.

In a recent turn of events, the chief organizer of the event Satadru Dutta has been apprehended and detained in police custody for 14 days on Sunday.

However, the ruling Trinamool Congress government and opposition headed by the BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari continued to engage in whataboutery over who’s to take accountability over the chaos and carnage unleashed at the stadium.