Team Herald
PANJIM: International Film Festival of India (IFFI) has become “Money Making Machine” for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and that the data available shows that the festival is reduced to a domestic festival, alleges opposition Congress Party on Thursday.
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Addressing a press conference at the Congress House, here along with Rajesh Kochrekar and Shamila Siddique, Congress media cell convenor Amarnath Panjikar criticised the announcements made by the Chief Minister that Goa government will spend around Rs 28 crore on IFFI-2024. He said that the BJP government was spending such a huge amount on events with no benefits to Goans.
“Every year Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) makes a false propaganda of touching 10,000 delegate registration. This year Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has told media that 8,000 delegates register for IFFI every year. I want to place on record that delegate registration did not cross 7,700 in last four editions of IFFI,” said Panjikar.
Although the mega event is called International Film Festival, last year for IFFI-2023 only 162 foreign delegates attended the event. This shows that the event has lost its glory, he said.
“I challenge Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to prove me wrong on these figures,” Panjikar said.
The Union government contributed only Rs 76 lakhfor IFFI-2023. Sponsorship of just Rs 5 lakh was received by government from private sponsor in 2023. IFFI has failed as a brand and role of Goa government is just of travel and hospitality agent, charged Panjikar.
Govt data shows that only one Goan film “Wagro” was screened in Official Section of IFFI in last four editions of IFFI from 2020 to 2023. It is clear that the government fooled the Goan film fraternity by promising them that three films will be screened in IFFI, he said.
International Film Festival has become a grazing ground for BJP functionaries. Tenders are awarded to select few with escalated costs of items. Works are of sub-standard quality which has resulted in national and international delegated turning their back to IFFI, Panjikar said.
The Congress government had started the Goa Film Finance Scheme to promote local film producers. Many Goan producers availed benefit under the scheme. But the BJP government after coming to power in 2012, kept the scheme dormant, Panjikar alleged.
