UNC's take on Sangai Festival ; Tourism Dept to seek inputs
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 14 2012:
Close on the heels of the United Naga Council's (UNC) call to the Nagas of Manipur to stay away from the upcoming Sangai Festival, the State Tourism Department is set to seek reports on ground reality from the Deputy Commissioners concerned .
Talking to The Sangai Express, a high level official of the Department said that the Tourism Department would seek reports from the DCs concerned on the ground reality of the latest development before chalking out any strategy.
Saying that Nagas took part in the past festivals although there were diktats, the official said, reports from DCs are needed taking the said fact into account.
Informing that no deliberation on the UNC's call has been made so far, the official said that the matter would be discussed with officials of Commerce and Industries and Art and Culture Departments as well.
A strategy would be formulated in consultation with the high level officials of other Departments after the reports from the DCs are received, he added.
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It may be mentioned that 600 stalls including foreign stalls took part in last year's Sangai Festival.
In the last festival, numerous stalls from Ukhrul, Chandel, Senapati and Tamenglong drew in huge crowd.
Apart from cultural items presented by different troupes, indigenous food, local indigenous brews, flowers and potteries etc of hill districts were big hits in the last year's festival.
Notably, UNC had advised all individuals and tribes to stay away from the Sangai Festival organised by the Manipur Government, which according to the Council is a 'communal government' .
It also said that no Minister and MLA of the ruling party and Naga ADC Members should be welcomed who come in the Naga areas on the pretext of overseeing development works and attending cultural and political programmes.
Meanwhile, the Organising Committee of the festival has fixed the entry fee to the festival at Rs 20 per head.
The festival will kick start from November 21 at Hapta Kangjeibung.