Autumn festival begins today amid closure controversy

Orchid Lake Resort at Umiam
Shillong, Nov. 4 : The stage is set for the commencement of the Shillong Autumn Festival tomorrow, though a section of social organisations and political parties today reiterated their opposition to the decision to conclude the gala on Sunday. They asked the organisers to respect the sentiments expressed by the religious leaders.
Chief minister Mukul Sangma will inaugurate the three-day festival at Madan Iewrynghep, Laitumkhrah, organised by the Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum (MTDF) in collaboration with the state tourism department.
The inauguration would be followed by a Shillong Carnival, which would converge on the Shillong Club premises where the fete and other festivities would be held.
On Saturday and Sunday, the venue would shift to Orchid Lake Resort, Umiam.
“Although we are not against the festival in totality, we are opposed to the decision to conclude the gala on Sunday,” Joe Marwein, working president of the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) said after a meeting with groups, who are not in favour of the Sunday festivities.
The meeting was attended by leaders of the Ri Bhoi Youth Federation (RBYF), Confederation of Ri Bhoi People (CORP), and from political parties like the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) and the NCP youth wing.
Marwein, while asking the organisers to respect the sentiments expressed by church leaders through the Shillong Khasi-Jaintia Church Forum (SKJCF), said, “We feel that it wasn’t correct to call the church leaders for an open debate, which was telecast live. We also strongly condemn the use of abrasive language against those who oppose the Sunday festivities by likening them to fundamentalists and the Taliban.”
Marwein said the opposing groups have decided not to create any trouble on Sunday, but they would be writing to the government to put an end to the practice of holding festivities on Sundays.
On Tuesday, the church forum, while asserting that it was not against the gala, reminded that Sunday is a “sacred day” for Christians.
KHNAM general secretary Pyndap Saibon said, “Tourism will not grow by organising festivities on a Sunday. The MTDF should also have a long-term plan to promote the trade in different parts of the state with a special focus on the interior regions.”
He also said in September, the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) had rescheduled its proposed bandh in Garo Hills, as the days coincided with the Durga Puja festival.
“Even a group like the GNLA had the heart to respect the religious sentiments of other faiths,” Saibon said.
Clifford Nengnong, working president of NCP youth wing, said the need of the hour is to have a debate on other imperative issues like the mushrooming of cement plants in different parts of the state, which has harmed the environment, agricultural issues, unemployment problems faced by the youth and the problems confronted by people in the interiors.
FKJGP general secretary W. Rani said, “We will not be creating any unpleasant scene on Sunday, but we would like to appeal to the people to ponder over what the church leaders had already expressed.”
The MTDF had said Sunday would be celebrated as “Family Day” implying that no alcohol would be sold in the venue.