Mamata Banerjee-designed football sculpture demolished near Kolkata stadium

The BJP government on Saturday removed a controversial football-themed sculpture, designed by Mamata Banerjee, from the iconic Salt Lake stadium. It was installed ahead of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

In Short

• Structure installed in 2017 ahead of the FIFA U-17 World Cup
• Several football fans called it an eyesore and even grotesque
• BJP govt promised to take it down, citing its poor aesthetics

For years, a controversial sculpture, with two legs cut at the torso and a football above it, became an identity of the iconic Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata. The sculpture, designed by former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself, divided the people, with several calling it an eyesore and even grotesque. The sculpture was eventually demolished on Saturday by the BJP government, days after minister Nisith Pramanik pledged to remove it.

On Saturday morning, locals were surprised to see that the sculpture was taken down near the VVIP gate of the Salt Lake stadium, which recently hosted football legend Lionel Messi. The sculpture, believed to be the brainchild of Mamata, was installed in 2017 ahead of the FIFA U-17 World Cup. It also had the 'Biswa Bangla' logo - the signature emblem of the previous TMC government.

THE CONTROVERSIAL STRUCTURE AT SALT LAKE STADIUM

However, since its unveiling, the structure has generated controversy, with several football supporters questioning its bizarre design. Nevertheless, it became an identity of the stadium that has hosted several iconic derbies between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan and international footballers.

"Remember this abomination in front of Salt Lake stadium? Now it has been removed as promised," BJP leader Keya Ghosh tweeted.

In fact, a day after taking oath as the BJP's first Bengal Chief Minister, Suvendu Adhikari had said the structure would be removed. It was reiterated by Bengal Sports Minister Nisith Pramanik earlier this week, who said the "grotesque" structure did not match the aesthetics of such an iconic stadium.

"Such an ugly-looking statue... It does not look aesthetically pleasing either. So we will not keep such a grotesque structure that has no meaning, and it will be taken down," Pramanik told reporters on May 17.

The minister said the government had planned several infrastructure upgrades at the stadium.

Pramanik went on to link the sculpture to the decline of the Trinamool Congress. "I feel that after this statue was installed, the bad days of the previous government started. Then the Messi controversy happened, and the government lost power," he said.

Last December, mismanagement during Messi's 'GOAT India Tour' led to vandalism and chaos at the Salt Lake Stadium, with fans blaming TMC for the pandemonium.

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