Will any action — even symbolic — against sports minister Aroop Biswas help the Trinamool Congress contain the damage it suffered over Saturday’s unprecedented mess at Salt Lake Stadium during Argentine football icon Lionel Messi’s visit is a question swirling within the Trinamool Congress ranks.

On Saturday, during the Calcutta leg of Messi’s GOAT India tour, irate spectators vandalised the stadium, accusing a group of influential individuals, including Biswas, of surrounding Messi and preventing ticket-paying fans from getting a glimpse of him.

Many Trinamool leaders believe it would be prudent to initiate action against Biswas, a close aide of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, arguing that the optics involving the sports minister created a negative public perception.

“It was an international embarrassment for Bengal as well as for the chief minister who had to turn back her car from the venue. The event could otherwise have been a success. Although Biswas was not the only one monopolising Messi, countless photographs appear to grab the football icon, making the optics unacceptable. Even a small step against him would send a message that the party does not hesitate to act against wrongdoing, even when it involves a top leader,” said a senior Trinamool leader in Calcutta.

According to him, Biswas holds two portfolios — power and sports. Even if he were relieved of the sports portfolio, he would still be a minister.

Several Trinamool leaders, including Kunal Ghosh, admitted some “hyangla (greedy) people prevented common spectators from seeing the football legend.

Ghosh, however, flagged multiple issues, including “Jai Shri Ram” slogans and saffron flags on the ground, and smelt a pre-planned conspiracy to tarnish Bengal’s image.

The BJP has been circulating photographs showing Biswas, his family and some individuals close to chief minister Mamata Banerjee with Messi at the stadium, accusing them of monopolising the footballer while thousands of paying spectators were kept at bay.

Those in Trinamool advocating action against Biswas argue it is politically necessary, particularly when people are comparing the episode with well-managed events in Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi, where Messi was seen playing with children or meeting cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar. They warned that ahead of polls, the party must act swiftly to retain the support of young voters and football enthusiasts angered by the episode.

“Action is needed to calm Gen Z voters and football lovers. The BJP has already taken up the issue, and the visuals will be used extensively in the election campaign. Something must be done,” the Trinamool leader added.

Although Mamata apologised in writing on her social media handle soon after the incident, the top leadership has not commented on fixing responsibility. Biswas, citing the formation of a probe committee, has also refrained from commenting and has not countered the charges against him.

Another section of Trinamool believes any action against Biswas or other party functionaries would be unwise, as it would amount to admitting guilt at a time when the blame has largely been placed on organisers.

“Taking action against Biswas would be an admission of responsibility. Once action is taken, the political narrative will shift and help the BJP to pitch that everything happened because of Biswas, when the event was completely a private one,” said one such leader.

Trinamool spokesperson Arup Chakraborty defended Biswas, saying the sports minister was officially invited to the event and had every right to be present. He pointed out that many others, including BJP MLA Ashok Dinda, were also on the ground.

“As sports minister, Aroop Biswas was invited and present with Messi. Some are questioning the presence of Akash Banerjee (Mamata Banerjee’s nephew) and Aditi Gayen (Abhishek Banerjee’s social media head) there. But they were present as representatives of Diamond Harbour Football Club, as there was a match between the club and Mohun Bagan,” Chakraborty said.

“But why was BJP MLA Ashok Dinda there? And how did Amruta Fadnavis, wife of Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, get the chance to take a selfie with Messi?” he asked.

The BJP leadership claimed that Trinamool would take no action against Biswas or any other influential person as it wanted to close the episode by pinning blame on organiser Satadru Dutta and his associates.

“Trinamool will never take action against Aroop Biswas. But why just leaders, action should be taken against those police officers too who had barred the entry of water bottles. Later, those were sold at highly inflated rates to loot the common people,” said BJP leader Rahul Sinha.