Bengal Guv calls Messi event chaos ‘dark day’, says mismanagement is ‘understatement’

Kolkata: West Bengal Governor C.V. Anand Bose, in an interview with IANS on Wednesday, said the term ‘mismanagement’ would be an “understatement” of what unfolded during the event organised for Argentine footballer Lionel Messi at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, calling it a “dark day” for the state.

This comes against the backdrop of mounting criticism and political backlash over the chaos and security mismanagement that occurred on December 13 at the Messi event held at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, also known as the Salt Lake Stadium. Furious spectators went on a rampage, causing damage to stadium property.

Calling it a “systematic failure”, Bose said that the incident has “brought shame to the entire country”.

The following are the excerpts from the interview:

IANS: There was massive chaos that unfolded at the Messi event in Kolkata. Do you think it was mismanagement by the administration?

C.V. Anand Bose: Mismanagement is an understatement. There was callous neglect by the authorities. This shows the worst consequences when sports are treated as a commercial commodity, and private individuals are allowed to make money at the expense of the sentiments of sports lovers.

Thousands of people had gathered in Kolkata from various parts of the country to catch a glimpse of their football hero, Messi. However, the authorities there messed it up. There was no planning, management or monitoring. The entire government machinery turned into a mere spectator of the mishap that had happened there, and everyone else had to pay the price.

The public suffered because of it; even I received many complaints. The government had been informed a night earlier to take precautionary measures, but they were not taken.

It is a sad situation that the Kolkata metropolis does not have a standard operating procedure or management. This was a systematic failure. It is a dark day in Bengal, and it has brought shame to the entire country.

IANS: What steps can the state government take now to investigate this and hold the responsible individuals accountable?

C.V. Anand Bose: I have given several suggestions, recommendations, and directives to the government. First, a judicial inquiry should be conducted. An inquiry by a retired judge, which has been ordered, does not qualify as a judicial inquiry. Second, arrest the organisers. The Chief Organiser has been arrested, but that too is not adequate. All those who are responsible should be taken into custody.

Third, from the point of view of the public, is to refund the money to the people, which the government has announced. Fourth, freeze the accounts of the Chief Organiser.

IANS: You also personally inspected the stadium. What did you see?

C.V. Anand Bose: Second day, when I went to inspect the stadium, I found that the stadium was locked. The lights were off. This means they were trying to hide something. When I went there the next day, I saw the most bizarre chaos. Those who are responsible for this should be punished.

IANS: Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas has resigned. What do you have to say about this?

C.V. Anand Bose: There were many messages from the people, demanding the Sports Minister’s resignation. Now that he has resigned, I understand that some action has been taken. If only an effective action had been taken before the event…

The DGP and the Commissioner of Police have been asked for an explanation. Bidhannagar Police’s Deputy Commissioner has been suspended. There is also a demand from the people for the resignation of another Minister. However, people want proactive and effective action. Accidents are not accidental — a message that the Kolkata event gave to us.

IANS: CM Mamata Banerjee was not able to reach the venue herself. How do you see this?

C.V. Anand Bose: The pell-mell that took place in Kolkata is certainly shameful to all sports lovers, particularly for the people of Bengal. The authorities have failed miserably in anticipating this and taking precautionary steps.

In a situation like this, it is common knowledge that there are four stages where the government and authorities have to take care of: intelligence, preparation for the action, action and mopping up. The authorities have failed in all of these.

The police have the primary responsibility to maintain order during such events. It is shameful that the Chief Minister, who is also the Home Minister, was not able to come to the scene. The police failed the Constitution, the people of Bengal, their own Home Minister and law and order. That is the deplorable situation prevailing in Bengal now.

IANS: Do you think that under such circumstances, there can be major security lapses in the state?

C.V. Anand Bose: I don’t want to go into the detailing of that, but as Governor, my primary responsibility is to the people. So I will think of the people, totally ignored, and people were made scapegoats for somebody’s greed for money, selling sports as a commercial commodity.

IANS: Do you think law and order have completely failed in Bengal?

C.V. Anand Bose: As a constitutional head of the state, I should not be making any jerk reaction. In this particular instance, there was total failure. But that I will not make use of to assess the entire law and order situation in the state. Also, I made my own assessment on the matter, which I will inform the authorities concerned. I don’t want to discuss it in public.

IANS: According to you, are Bangladeshi infiltrators residing in the state in large numbers? Is it becoming a major problem?

C.V. Anand Bose: That is a reality which came to the fore when the Special Intensive Review (SIR) process started. There is also an outflow of illegal migrants from Bengal through the border to Bangladesh. This is a situation, a phenomenon that has been studied in depth to a very large extent. As far as it affects the elections, the SIR process will certainly bring about a change. It will cleanse the system to a great extent.

IANS: The Centre is saying that the SIR will help identify and drive out the Bangladeshi infiltrators as they affect the election outcomes. What is your take on this?

C.V. Anand Bose: After the SIR, I believe the chances have decreased (of Bangladeshi infiltrators affecting the elections). I’m not saying they are completely eliminated, but they have certainly lessened.

IANS