The meeting of Rahul Gandhi and Lionel Messi was in the headlines during the GOAT Tour in Hyderabad. Messi gave him a special number 10 jersey. While everything remained calm in Hyderabad, there was a huge controversy in Kolkata due to mismanagement.
Rahul Gandhi Lionel Messi Meeting: If Indian politics and the name of the world’s biggest football star come together, there is bound to be a discussion. A similar scene was seen in Hyderabad on Saturday, when Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi met Argentinian football legend and World Cup winner Lionel Messi. This meeting took place during Messi’s GOAT Tour India, which created a stir from social media to political circles.
What special happened in Hyderabad during GOAT Tour?
Lionel Messi reached Hyderabad on Saturday. He became a part of a football event organized at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal. During this time Rahul Gandhi came to meet him. The video and pictures of their meeting went viral on social media in no time. On this special occasion, Messi presented GOATED number 10 jersey to Rahul Gandhi, which is considered the biggest symbol of his career and identity. This jersey is not just a gift but is considered a symbol of respect and a memorable moment.
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What did Rahul Gandhi say on social media?
After the meeting, Rahul Gandhi posted a story on his official Instagram handle. He wrote, “Long live football, with the GOAT @leomessi.” A video was also shared with this post, in which Rahul Gandhi is seen posing for pictures, walking and talking with Messi. At the same time, Messi was also seen waving towards his fans. After this post, a tremendous reaction was seen among Congress supporters and football fans.
How did the Congress party present this meeting?
After a few minutes, a post was also made on social media from the Congress party. It was clearly stated that Lionel Messi has gifted a special jersey with Argentinian colors to Rahul Gandhi. Also, a video of the post-match presentation held in Hyderabad was also shared, in which Rahul Gandhi was seen giving a memorable gift to Messi.
Hyderabad remained calm, but why was there an uproar in Kolkata?
While the GOAT Tour event in Hyderabad appeared peaceful and orderly, Messi’s Kolkata tour was mired in controversy. There was huge chaos during the event held at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. Spectators had purchased expensive tickets, but there was resentment over limited access to Messi. Angry fans started vandalizing the stadium, the situation became so bad that the police had to lathicharge and deploy Rapid Action Force (RAF). After the situation worsened, Messi left the stadium before the scheduled time.
Who was arrested in Kolkata controversy?
Kolkata Police arrested Satadru Dutta, one of the main organizers of the GOAT Tour, on charges of mismanagement. According to the police, there was gross negligence in ticket pricing, security arrangements and crowd control. FIR has been registered in this matter and investigation into the entire mismanagement is going on.
Is there an attempt to save the reputation of the GOAT Tour?
The successful Hyderabad event and the Rahul Gandhi-Messi meeting clearly indicate that the organizers are trying to show that the Kolkata incident was an exception and not a failure of the entire tour. Messi’s playing with children in Hyderabad, meeting politicians and officials and being in the VIP box were examples of this.
After all, what is the meaning of this meeting?
This meeting between Rahul Gandhi and Lionel Messi was not just a photo-op. It became a symbol of the combination of politics, sports, popularity and public sentiments. While on one hand Messi has crores of fans, on the other hand the presence of Rahul Gandhi made this event special from both political and social point of view.