Organizing Hornbill Festival nothing but a suicide mission due to COVID, says Naga People's Front

Dimapur: The Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) criticized the state government’s decision of hosting the Hornbill Festival amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic situation.

Issuing a press release on Friday, the party expressed surprise at the government’s decision “to conduct the annual festival, despite knowing the fact that the Naga society is reeling under threat due to the coronavirus pandemic”.

The party further stated that conducting the Hornbill Festival this year was “nothing but a 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 in the process to celebrate the festival without public participation then there is no need to hold any celebration,” the NPF further stated.

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“When total lockdown was observed in the state, the virus did not hesitate to enter our state and penetrating us, then how far it is 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 asked.

The party also pointed out that the number of cases in the state has crossed 8,000 and the virus has claimed 22 lives so far across Nagaland.

“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 and with the increase in community transmission of the novel coronavirus, the celebration of Hornbill Festival in the state will be a complete disaster,” it stated.

The NPF stated that this is not the time to indulge in ‘merrymaking and momentary pleasure’ but ensure the safety of the people.

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