What should have been a joyous day for admirers of one of the modern legends of football, Lionel Messi, ended in an utter mess and shame for Bengal’s government, administrators and its people. Poor management of a hyped-up event, lack of coordination, and gaps in the security arrangement transformed Calcutta’s Salt Lake stadium into a battlefield as fans, having denied a glimpse of their favourite footballer — Mr Messi was lost to the crowd after being ring-fenced by officials, celebrities and securitymen on the field — vented their anger by indulging in violence. Chairs and water bottles rained from the stands after Mr Messi left much before his scheduled departure; this was followed by the irate crowd entering the ground and vandalising infrastructure. That many of the spectators had bought tickets at exorbitant prices only to be denied a glimpse of Mr Messi added to their sense of being cheated. Poor planning led to the fiasco; the event manager has been arrested and the chief minister has ordered an enquiry. But the politicians whose conduct added to the commotion and stirred public anger must be held accountable too. Given Mr Messi’s stardom, the mayhem has generated international attention, denting Calcutta’s image. Hyderabad, where Mr Messi travelled to after Calcutta, conducted its function flawlessly. Why could Calcutta not do the same?
Part of the problem must also lie in the weaknesses in the civic ethos — or the lack of it — in the city. Poor crowd behaviour during sporting events is not unheard of in Calcutta. From the chaos witnessed during a Test match between India and the West Indies in 1967 to the horror that unfolded during a football derby between two city giants in 1980, Calcutta is no stranger to unruly behaviour by spectators. Administrative ineptitude is certainly a factor in these episodes of shame. But the penchant for violence on the part of a passionate collective cannot be denied. The irony is that a people who love to flaunt their bhadrolok sensibilities at the drop of the proverbial hat seem to have no compunction about letting the slip show time and again.