Team Herald
MARGAO: Artist Siddhanath Buyao on Saturday claimed that Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant has insulted the artistes of Goa with his statement that the budget of Art and Culture Department will be reduced drastically and there will be curtailment of expenditure on all cultural programmes in view of the financial crisis faced by the State due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Buyao demanded that CM should immediately withdraw his statement and apologise to the artistes of Goa.
"It is unfortunate that the Chief Minister did not utter a word about the hard times faced by various artists in Goa after the lockdown was announced in India. All the programmes, dramas, concerts, weddings etc, got cancelled, which have rendered thousands of artistes jobless. The future of artistes is bleak as no one knows when this pandemic will end. Today, the artistes have not demanded any compensation or a package and the government should provide financial assistance to all those who earn a living on their daily shows and performances. Artistes too have a family to survive," Buyao added.
"The Chief Minister should first stop wasteful expenditure and corruption in PWD, tourism, sports, garbage management and other departments before imposing restrictions on art and culture activities. Today, various work orders are issued without tenders. There are reports of vegetables being purchased at exorbitant prices by Horticulture Department," Siddhanath alleged.
He said the Chief Minister should first make analysis of the huge expenditure incurred by various departments and its return benefit to the State. He should not make Art and Culture Department the soft target.