Demolition
Mamata Banerjee-designed controversial Salt Lake Stadium statue demolished in Kolkata
Kolkata/IBNS: The controversial football-themed statue outside Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium was demolished on Saturday by authorities under the new Bharatiya Janata Party government in West Bengal.
Photo: Avishek Mitra/IBNS
The structure, which featured giant footballer legs, a football and the Biswa Bangla logo with the word “Joyi”, was partially torn down during the demolition drive.
Visuals from the spot showed only the shoes and a couple of footballs remaining after the operation.
The possibility of removing the sculpture had earlier been hinted at by West Bengal Sports Minister Nisith Pramanik.
Statue Had Sparked Debate Since 2017
The sculpture was conceptualised and designed during the tenure of Mamata Banerjee ahead of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017.
Installed outside the iconic Salt Lake Stadium, the artwork featured oversized muscular footballer legs kicking a giant football alongside the Biswa Bangla branding.
Over the years, the statue frequently became a subject of online debate and memes because of its unusual design.
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