Ganguly vs Shatadru for "Messi event"; CAB elections blamed for venue shift

A fresh disagreement has emerged over the venue selection for Lionel Messi’s Kolkata visit, with event organizer Shatadru Dutta responding to remarks made by Sourav Ganguly regarding why the programme was held at Yuba Bharati Krirangan instead of Eden Gardens. Shatadru stated that he had initially approached the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) to host the event at Eden Gardens but was unable to secure permission due to the ongoing CAB elections at the time. According to him, after waiting 25 days for approval and facing time constraints related to Messi’s nationwide tour schedule, he shifted the venue to Yuba Bharati Krirangan. He further claimed that both Sourav Ganguly and CAB Treasurer Sanjay Das had been informed before the decision was finalized.

Shatadru said the complete itinerary for Messi’s India tour had to be finalized before contractual arrangements could be completed, leaving little scope for further delays. In response, Sourav Ganguly reiterated that CAB had been willing to host the event at Eden Gardens and maintained that the decision to move the programme to Yuba Bharati was taken by the organizer. Sourav stated that Eden Gardens had successfully hosted several major sporting events over the years and that the CAB had welcomed the prospect of Messi appearing at the venue. He also noted that the event was entirely under the organizer’s control and that CAB did not question the decision regarding the final venue.

Lionel Messi’s event took place at Yuba Bharati Krirangan on December 13 last year, where large-scale disorder was reported after his arrival. A heavy crowd gathered on the field, creating security challenges and disrupting the programme. Shatadru later alleged that unauthorized individuals had entered the stadium, contributing to the breakdown of arrangements. Following the incident, he filed a written complaint with Bidhannagar South Police Station against several individuals, including former Sports Minister Arup Biswas, Jui Biswas, IAS officer Shantanu Basu, and former Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar, alleging that errors in event management led to the disruption.