Lionel Messi India Tour 2025: Mamata Banerjee ‘disturbed and shocked’ over mismanagement at Messi event in Salt Lake Stadium

Lionel Messi India Tour Live News Updates: Football icon Lionel Messi gifted Argentina jerseys to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi

On Salt Lake Stadium vandalism, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said, "The kind of mismanagement and sophistry took place, ashamed every Indian... Mamata Banerjee tweeted that she is 'deeply disturbed by this event', but I want to clear that it is West Bengal which is deeply devastated under your rule... This is the evidence of the tragic situation the state has reached... Similar situation happened in Bengaluru after IPL and in Tamil Nadu as well... This shows that the leadership in these states consider itself above the law... This shows the character of all the leaders of INDI alliance..."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday termed the mandate received by the BJP-led NDA in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation a "watershed moment" in Kerala's politics and expressed gratitude to the BJP workers for the "spectacular results".

The Left parties suffered a major setback in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, held by them for 45 years, as the BJP-led NDA surged ahead with a huge lead.

Reacting to the civic body results, the prime minister said it is a day to recall the work and struggles of generations of karyakartas (workers) in Kerala, who worked at the grassroots, which ensured today's result became a reality. "Thank you Thiruvananthapuram! The mandate the BJP-NDA got in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation is a watershed moment in Kerala's politics," he wrote on 'X'.

Scenes of chaos unfolded at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium as thousands of fans gathered to see football superstar Lionel Messi. Disappointed by poor event management, some fans reportedly threw bottles and chairs in frustration. Many were left disillusioned when Messi’s appearance lasted only a few minutes.

BJP leaders criticised the handling of the event. Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said, “Total embarrassment on an international stage. A global legend like Messi will see a massive public turnout and yet zero planning and very little security. CM Mamata Banerjee can’t even organise or manage an event. TMC leaders surrounded him, and fans were denied access. What if something had happened to fans or the guest?"

Pradip Bhandari added, “A global legend, a massive public turnout, and yet zero planning. A total embarrassment on an international stage. Mamata can’t even organise or manage an event."

Messi left the stadium shortly after arriving, with security and crowd control measures appearing inadequate. Fans expressed disappointment over the fleeting appearance. One said, “We couldn’t see anything. He didn’t take a single kick. This was a total waste of time, money, and emotions," while another added, “Absolutely terrible event. He came for just 10 minutes. All the leaders and ministers surrounded him. We couldn’t see anything. He didn’t take a single kick or a single penalty. So much money, emotions, and time wasted."

Mamata Banerjee on Saturday expressed serious concern over the arrangements at Salt Lake Stadium after chaos marred Lionel Messi’s event. Sharing her reaction on X, the West Bengal Chief Minister said she was “deeply disturbed and shocked” by the mismanagement at the venue.

In a post on X, she wrote, “I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium. I was on my way to the stadium to attend the event along with thousands of sports lovers and fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of their favourite footballer, Lionel Messi."

Lionel Messi’s much-anticipated Kolkata event ended in outrage after the football icon made only a fleeting appearance and left early, leaving thousands of ticket-paying fans disappointed. Poor visibility and crowd mismanagement triggered protests inside Salt Lake Stadium, with angry spectators throwing bottles and attempting to breach gates.

Delhi’s air pollution worsened to the “severe” category on Saturday with AQI crossing 400 in several areas, prompting Stage 3 GRAP curbs including a ban on construction, restrictions on diesel vehicles, and hybrid schooling for young students. The dense smog has reduced visibility, affecting daily life and prompting advisories at Delhi Airport.

Over a dozen vehicles, including cars and trucks, collided on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway on Saturday morning due to dense fog, causing multiple injuries and a massive traffic jam. Several vehicles were severely damaged, with some crushed under trucks and others stranded on the divider.

Lalit Kishor, who impersonated IAS officer ‘Gaurav Kumar’ for six months, was arrested in Gorakhpur along with his brother-in-law and aide. The gang allegedly conducted fake inspections, extorted crores from schools and businesses across UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, and MP, and used forged IDs, AI-generated photos, and armed guards to maintain their scam.

Renowned 91-year-old writer Ruskin Bond has been admitted to a hospital in Dehradun due to leg discomfort, causing difficulty in walking. He is under medical supervision and expected to be discharged in a few days. Bond, celebrated for works like The Room on the Roof and The Blue Umbrella, has charmed generations with his nostalgic, heartwarming stories and essays.

GOAT India Tour Live Updates: SRK meets Messi

Football legend Lionel Messi will virtually unveil his 70-foot statue from Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium, with West Bengal minister Sujit Bose and actor Shah Rukh Khan present at the event.

West Bengal minister and Sree Bhumi Sporting Club president Sujit Bose on Saturday said football icon Lionel Messi and his team are happy with the arrangements during their visit to Kolkata as part of the India Tour 2025. Speaking to ANI, Bose said Messi has given his consent for the installation of a statue and that discussions with his manager have been positive, with further interaction with the football star planned later in the day.

Highlighting the scale of the tribute, Bose earlier said the statue planned in Messi’s honour will stand 70 feet tall, calling it the largest statue of the football legend anywhere in the world. He added that Messi’s arrival in Kolkata has generated massive excitement, with fans turning out in large numbers to catch a glimpse of the global icon.

A massive crowd gathered at Salt Lake Stadium as fans waited for a glimpse of football legend Lionel Messi, who arrived in Kolkata in the early hours of Saturday. Chanting his name, supporters packed the stands ahead of his scheduled appearance and meeting with Shah Rukh Khan as part of the GOAT India Tour 2025.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders paid homage to the security personnel who laid down their lives during the 2001 Parliament attack on its anniversary in New Delhi. The tribute honours the courage and sacrifice of those who defended India’s democratic institutions.

Ramanagara Congress MLA Iqbal Hussain claimed Deputy CM DK Shivakumar will replace Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after the winter session, citing his contributions to the party. Shivakumar, however, downplayed the speculation, saying he does not seek public shows of support and emphasised party unity.

Air quality in Delhi-NCR continued to deteriorate on Saturday, with the city recording an overall AQI of 387, placing it firmly in the ‘very poor’ category. Eighteen localities, including Wazirpur, Jahangirpuri, and Vivek Vihar, reported ‘severe’ pollution levels above 400, while experts attributed the spike to low wind speeds, high moisture, and falling temperatures.

Several Indian cricketers, including Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and Shubman Gill, are expected to meet Lionel Messi during his Mumbai leg. Former India football captain Sunil Chhetri is also likely to interact with the global football star.

Football icon Lionel Messi arrived in Kolkata in the early hours, stepping off a chartered flight looking fresh and smiling. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, along with Shah Rukh Khan and Sourav Ganguly, is expected to attend events during his visit, with around 2,000 police personnel deployed to ensure security.