'Ugly, Grotesque' Mamata-Era Football Sculpture Outside Salt Lake Stadium Razed By New BJP Govt

Kolkata: The controversial football-themed structure outside the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata was taken down on Saturday morning by the new BJP-led government in West Bengal. Notably, the structure had been conceptualised and designed by former Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee.

The structure, installed in 2017 near the VVIP gate of the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, was a headless statue featuring a footballer's legs merging into a ball bearing the logo of ‘Biswa Bangla’.

The structure also had a signboard reading, “concept and design by Mamata Banerjee”.

Earlier this month, West Bengal Sports Minister Nisith Pramanik called the structure “ugly” and announced that it will be taken down.

Speaking after the Indian Super League Kolkata derby between Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal FC on May 17, Pramanik said, “Such an ugly-looking statue, two legs cut at torso and football above it does not make sense. 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.”

After the structure was taken down today (May 23), several BJP leaders hailed the move, with Keya Ghosh saying, “Remember this abomination in front of Salt Lake stadium? Now it has been removed as promised.”

Meanwhile, a netizen said, “Good riddance. That was one of the ugliest public installations in Kolkata and had nothing authentically Bengali about it.” Another said, “An eyesore gone. Salt Lake Stadium looks better already.”

Meanwhile, TMC MP Kunal Ghosh said, “Priority of this BJP government is to run bulldozers, which is a symbol of negativity.”

The removal of the structure is part  of a larger plan to revamp the stadium. Earlier, the 'Biswa Bangla' logo was removed from the gates of stadium and was replaced with the national emblem of India- the Ashoka Stambh.

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