MAPUSA
Slamming the government for its eagerness to hold the Sunburn festival in spite of the Covid threat, Goenche Rakhandar has vowed to mobilise the people of Goa and if required even take the legal route to stop the festival.
“We are opposing Sunburn tooth and nail. We will talk to the people and convince all the NGOs in the State to come out and put a stop to the festival. If need be we will also go to the court,” said Wilbur Ticlo, convenor of Goenche Rakhandar.
The convenor of Goenche Rakhandar along with other members Dipesh Naik, Subhash Kerkar and Amrut Agarwadekar was addressing a news conference in Mapusa on Friday.
Speaking further, Ticlo said that Sunburn was neither and Indian nor a Goan culture and the festival only encouraged drugs and prostitution in the State. “The government is eager to bring Sunburn only because of the fat commission their ministers earn from the festival. They are not concerned about the health of the people,” he said.
Ticlo also said that the State government has badly managed the Covid crisis and therefore the number of Covid deaths crossed the 600 mark in Goa. “It’s a government’s responsibility to protect the people. But this government has opened the borders and allowed people to enter the State without any checks. This government has failed the people of Goa,” he said.
Goenche Rakhandar member, Dipesh Naik said the government’s lackadaisical approach will only turn Goa into a Covid hub. “There is no coordination between the health department and the chief minister’s office. The health staff have no PPP kits while there is shortage of gas cylinders in the hospitals. This only shows that the government has mis-managed the Covid crisis,” Naik said.
He said the government’s decision to hold the Sunburn festival even as the Covid threat looms large only shows its bankruptcy.
“Thousands attend the festival. Can the authorities assure of maintaining social distancing in such an environment?” he asked.
He also censured the government for plans to open schools in the State.
GR members, Subhash Kerkar and Amrut Agarwadekar also spoke at the news conference.
