The sculpture depicts a pair of oversized footballing legs merging into a football positioned on the torso, featuring the Biswa Bangla logo along with the word ‘Joyi’ inscribed on the football. It was erected in 2017 ahead of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, during which Kolkata served as one of the host cities for the international football tournament.
It was placed near the VVIP gate of the stadium during the administration of former chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
Following Sunday’s Indian Super League Kolkata derby between Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal FC, which concluded with a 1-1 draw, Pramanik criticized the sculpture’s appearance and confirmed that it would soon be taken down.
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“Such an unattractive statue, with two legs severed at the torso and a football above it, makes no sense. It is not visually appealing either, so we will not retain such a grotesque structure that lacks meaning, and it will be removed,” he was reported as saying by PTI.
Pramanik also expressed political opinions while addressing the football-themed installation. He remarked that he believed the previous Trinamool Congress government entered a ‘bad phase’ right after the statue was unveiled.
“I believe that after this statue was unveiled, the troubling times for the previous government began. Then there was the Messi controversy, and the government ultimately lost power,” he noted.
Additionally, the minister mentioned that the BJP-led administration has commenced the process of replacing the ‘Biswa Bangla’ logo with the Ashoka emblem across official platforms and public infrastructure.
In addition to the removal of the sculpture, Pramanik announced initiatives to enhance the facilities at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan. He indicated that the government aims to construct food courts and incorporate more fan-friendly amenities inside the stadium to ensure that spectators attending lengthy football matches experience convenience.
