TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Opposition MLAs Wednesday slammed the BJP government and its affiliate Entertainment Society of Goa for holding the Goa Film Festival on Maundy Thursday and called on it to postpone the Festival after Good Friday, in view of the days being significant to minorities. The MLAs, who include two independents, one Congress and one BJP MLA, said this is another instance of the insensitive nature of the BJP, given that it is a State festival.
“I feel that the government has deliberately done this to hurt the sentiments of the minority community. Maybe this is deliberately done to keep out a community from the function,” Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco told media at a press conference held at Kala Academy.
“We call on the government to postpone it,” independent Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, taking a pot shot at his rival and former Fatorda MLA Damodar Naik, ESG vice chairman, said.
“The Goa state film festival starts tomorrow. Tomorrow is Maundy Thursday, a day of mourning for Catholics. This is to be inaugurated by the chief minister. Siddarth Kuncolienkar (Panjim MLA) is also there,” Sardesai argued, alleging that the government was deliberately raking up such issues.
After the press conference, Calangute BJP MLA Michael Lobo who was in the audience told media that he was against this timing of the film festival and would speak to the government to try and get the dates changed.
“I strongly feel that the state film festival will be postponed. I have told them and I feel that it will be done,” Lobo.
Reacting to the criticism, Naik said, “The film festival was announced on March 13. Why didn’t anybody raise an objection to the dates at that time? It is only now, when all the arrangements have been done and it is logistically impossible to postpone the festival.”
“Don’t colour this as anti-minority. There were 18 days to raise objections why wait till now?” Naik asked.
