No wonder, Kolkatans are gearing up to kick off the welcome ceremony for soccer’s monarch, Diego Maradona, who arrives in Kolkata for a two-day visit
KOLKATA: Ask the seventh standard student, the college lecturer or even the guy who peddles chaat at Esplanade and they will tell you the jury is still out on who’s greater — Pele or Maradona? To the world, the game is called as soccer. But the ubiquitous Bengali eats, drinks and sleeps “phootball”.
No wonder, Kolkatans are gearing up to kick off the welcome ceremony for soccer’s monarch, Diego Maradona, who arrives in Kolkata for a two-day visit as a state guest for laying the foundation stone of the Indian Football School at Maheshtala, in south-west Kolkata. The man on the street is bemused at the prospect of seeing such a deified figure in town, even if it will be on TV.
The state government has shrouded the event in a four-tiered security cloak through which it would be impossible for even Maradona to make a pass. For the better part of the tour, he will be ferried around in a chopper. However, a 10,000-strong welcome brigade mobilised by state sports minister Subhas Chakraborty will hold mashaals and candles at 1 am on Saturday when their hero arrives from Buenos Aires.
He will be driven to hotel in a 22-seater, plush coach on which the state has spent Rs 19 lakh. “Maradona and six others, including his girlfriend Veronica, will be in the coach that is fitted with a plasma TV. The window panes are made of transparent fibre glass allowing fans a clear view,” said a source involved with security.
For breakfast, a kingly repast awaits the living legend. There will be 50 types of Bengali sweets, including mishti doi, rosogolla and sandesh. Lunch does not get any bigger — spiceless mutton and chicken, prawn, hilsa and rohu in “all” mouth-watering preparations. However, Maradona’s agent, has asked the organisers to arrange for “seasonal fruits and plenty of fruit juices” that Maradona loves.
While the general reaction is one of excitement, some wonder if it is right to spend Rs16 crore during a global meltdown and when the entire nation is grieving the Mumbai attacks. Maradona’s appearance fee is Rs8.5 crore.
There could even be spoilers in this “M” season. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be in town over the weekend while the buzz is Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee (Didi) has vowed to start a stir at Maheshtala, where Maradona will inaugurate the football school. Her grouse? A dispute over the plot. Is goal-maal brewing?
m_madhumita@dnaindia.net
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