PANJIM: After Sunburn announced on X that it would shift the December 2024 Sunburn venue to South Goa, without naming any particular place, there has been a huge public upsurge and groundswell against holding the festival in South Goa.
Some suggested that if the festival is good it should be shifted to Prime Minister’s home state, Gujarat where the government is showing partiality by locating the world’s largest cricket stadium, the high speed rail link from Mumbai to Gujarat etc. They alleged that the festival was linked with drugs and other evils, by local, national, and international media and hence those from North Goa wanted to push it to South Goa.
Adv Radharao Gracias asked, “Now if North Goa does not want to hold the Sunburn festival, it means that there is a problem there. And if there is a problem there, why should the problem be shifted to South Goa?”
“Somehow the Sunburn festival is associated with drugs. Every news report nationally and internationally and locally also seems to say that drug sale is directly linked to Sunburn festival,” he added.
“The BJP thinks that Goans are sitting ducks just waiting for them to come from Panjim and Delhi and shoot at us. Sitting ducks sometimes tend to be flying ducks. And when they fly the can be s**ting ducks. And they will see what will happen to them,” Radharao warned. He also called on all village panchayats to pass resolutions opposing the holding of Sunburn and send it to the State government.
Adv Cleofato Coutinho described Sunburn as a menace. “One problem it creates is noise pollution, secondly, it creates problems for traffic and our roads are unable to take such traffic congestion. Most importantly, such events promote consumption of drugs. In my opinion, loud and repetitive music is music which promotes consumption of drugs. According to me, this is a menace we have to stop.”
Abhijeet Prabhudesai of Rainbow Warriors Federation cautioned, “This is a big mistake on the part of the government and people of South Goa will not allow this. Sunburn is an attempt to bring unwanted things. If it comes to the South our culture and our peace will be destroyed. People of South Goa will not allow this.”
“Tourism was brought to Goa to benefit the locals. Goa tourism should be in the hands of Goans. The big money bags who are trying to take over tourism are trying to capture our lands and this is spreading like a cancer in every village of Goa. We are appealing to the govt to ban Sunburn and even Casinos and save our culture,” Prabhudesai implored.