Kolkata, 17 December (H.S.) :

Football icon Lionel Messi has omitted Kolkata’s Salt Lake Yuva Bharati Krirangan from his memories of the India tour, triggering fresh discussion in the city already reeling from controversy over the event held at the stadium.

Messi shared a video of his India visit on his official Instagram account, showcasing moments from Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi. Notably, there was no visual reference to the programme held at Yuva Bharati, which had drawn massive attention and later criticism over alleged mismanagement.

The only Kolkata-related visual in the video was a brief shot of the unveiling of Messi’s statue. Apart from this single frame, there were no glimpses of the Yuva Bharati event. The video largely focused on Messi’s interactions and activities in Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi.

In Hyderabad, the video featured Messi playing football with Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, interacting with children, sending the ball into the stands and waving to cheering spectators. Several warm moments with fans were highlighted, capturing the celebratory atmosphere of the visit.

The Mumbai segment showed Messi at the Wankhede Stadium, where he was seen interacting with cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar. Scenes of Messi engaging with children and energising the crowd were also included. Short clips from Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium appeared in the video as well.

Throughout the montage, Messi was seen smiling alongside fellow footballers Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul at various venues. The video also featured off-field events, including Messi’s presence at the Paddle Cup at the Cricket Club of India in Brabourne and moments with actor Kareena Kapoor Khan.

Despite his stay in Kolkata involving meetings with several prominent personalities, state minister Aroop Biswas, who was frequently seen alongside Messi during the Yuva Bharati event, did not appear in the video. Industrialists Sanjiv Goenka and Parth Jindal, however, were visible.

While Yuva Bharati did not find space in the visuals, Messi did mention Kolkata in the caption of the video. He wrote, “Namaskar India. Thank you for the hospitality and love in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Kolkata,” and expressed hope for a bright future for football in the country. The caption also included the name of the tour’s main organiser, Shatadru Dutta, who has since been arrested in connection with the event.

Along with the video, Messi shared an emotional message thanking Indians for the overwhelming affection he received during his visit. He described the tour as a wonderful experience, saying that although the visit was short, the warmth and love made it truly memorable. Messi said he had expected affection from Indian fans but was surprised by its intensity, adding that he hoped to play in India in the future or, at the very least, visit again.

The absence of Yuva Bharati from Messi’s visual memories of the India tour has now become a talking point in Kolkata, especially amid ongoing political and administrative scrutiny surrounding the event.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh