NPF slams Nagaland govt over move to hold Hornbill Festival

GUWAHATI: The Naga People’s Front (NPF), Nagaland’s only opposition party, on Friday lambasted the state government’s decision to celebrate the annual Hornbill Festival, the mega international event in the northeastern region, amid the pandemic. Even though most of the celebrations will be held virtually, NPF said the move to celebrate this year is nothing but a ‘suicide mission’.
The 10-day long festival is celebrated every year from December 1, which also marks the statehood day.This time, the state government has decided to conduct the festival virtually.
The NPF in a statement said, “The party is surprised to see the heartless attitude of the PDA government to conduct the annual festival, despite knowing the fact that the Naga society is reeling under threat due to the coronavirus pandemic hitting our state and the positive cases increasing each single day.”
It added, “Each passing day, positive cases has been reportedly increasing and the state government announcement to celebrate Hornbill Festival this year is nothing but suicidal mission. Even if the celebration maybe in virtual form, a festival is a festival, and in any festival celebration, without people’s participation there cannot be any celebration. Therefore, if the government is on the process to celebrate the festival without public participation then there is no need to hold any celebration.”
The NPF asked if it was safe to celebrate the Hornbill Festival in whatever way the government is contemplating to. “Can the government assure the Naga public that nothing will happen to any participants by the virus?” it questioned the government.
“Due to the pandemic, the government is well aware that it has curtail down many income generating activities of the public, educational institutions has been closed down, many business establishment were limited and religious places were yet to function normally and many tribal were abstain from celebrating their own festival due to the fear of virus transmission. Then how come the state government is taking a U-turn to celebrate such event?” the NPF asked.
It further said that the state government was well aware that despite enforcing the strict Covid-19 protocols, wearing masks, washing hands and maintaining social distance, the number of positive cases has gone beyond 8,000 and 22 person have died due as per official reports.
“The state government must be well aware that positivity rate in Nagaland has surpassed the national rate, which clearly indicates that our state have higher transmission than the national rate,” it said.
“We all consider Hornbill Festival as a perfect opportunity to improve our tourism sector and a time to showcase our traditional heritage to the outside world, but as the situation dictates this year the influx of international and domestic tourist from different places into our state will prove catastrophic...” it added.