MARGAO: Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardessai has questioned the government move to earmark a Comunidade land meant for grazing as a permanent venue for the Sunburn festival.
He has dared Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar to cancel the Sunburn festival in the month of December as demanded by Calangute MLA Michael Lobo and others.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, Vijai demanded to know how the government can give permission for a commercial event like Sunburn festival on a Comundiade land and that too in a grazing zone. “I have a document which shows that the Comunidade has allotted temporary grazing land for temporary commercial purpose and the same land has now been earmarked as a permanent venue of the Sunburn festival. Is the government a partner in the Sunburn festival? Why is it going out of the way to help the EDM festival? Granting Comunidade land for a commercial purpose will set a bad precedent”, Vijai warned.
He alleged that the auction of the EDM festivals for the highest bidder is presently underway, adding that the EDM festivals have turned out to be Santa Claus for the ministers and leaders of the ruling BJP, who are rooting for a single-window system.
“Though applications for the EDM festival were received long ago, these ministers and leaders have now opened their shop and are waiting for the highest bidder”, he said.
Vijai said the law enforcing agencies should probe whether the assault on the Calangute MLA has any connection with Michael Lobo’s demand not to give permissions for EDM festivals in the month of December.
