PANJIM: Nationalist Congress Party, Goa alleged that shifting of the Group B tiatr competition from Panjim to Vasco is an attempt to kill the tiatr culture as governments in the past and now have been at the receiving end of tiatrists.
Addressing the media, NCP vice president and spokesperson Trajano D’Mello demanded that the venue of the Group B tiatr be shifted to Panjim as Vasco does not draw a large audience.
D’Mello has appealed to the Chairman of Kala Academy, Tiatr Academy and professional tiatrists to stand united to oppose the decision to take the competition to Vasco.
“Very recently it was reported that some members supporting the government had demanded censorship of tiatr, giving sufficient reasons to doubt that the government having RSS DNA is likely to pressure government officers to create reasons to divert the Group B competition to Vasco thereby killing the enthusiasm of mature artistes and nipping that of amateur artistes for whom this competition is a nursery,” D’Mello said.
He said that tiatr is a strong pillar to keep Konkani and Goan culture alive, and with this view in mind successive governments had initiated the tiatr competition under Kala Academy. It is unfortunate, he said, that the government which is ashamed of their critics is now trying to put down this rich culture.
Reason for shifting of the venue is only because of availability of AC auditorium, D’Mello said, and suggested that the open auditorium in Kala Academy be made the venue. He made the demand after receiving a representation from tiatrists and tiatr lovers.
