Recounting Day 1 to 3 of Sangai Fest : In the news for wrong reasons
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: November 25 2017 -

On Day 1, it was about President Ram Nath Kovind opening the Sangai Festival amid razzmatazz.

As expected, for it was the President of India opening the biggest State festival in Manipur but unfortunately, the pomp and gaiety seems to have ended on Day 1 itself, if the stories that have come out on the succeeding days are anything to go by.

It was with disgust that The Sangai Express felt constrained to carry the news on Day 2 of the Festival under the double decker heading, “Domestic LPG at Sangai Fest venue-Stall construction at Sangai Fest venue yet to be completed.”

This news/report however did not jolt the senses of the department concerned to take up remedial steps and on Day 3 came two reports, “Peeved stall owners withdraw from Sangai Fest,” and “Khuman Lampak looks ghostly, not fest venue.”

The accompanying pics of the stories mentioned here also told their own stories and it was with a feeling of disappointment that The Sangai Express felt constrained to carry these news, for this was the reality at the ground level.

So far, perhaps the only silver lining in the Sangai Festival is the 39 MoUs the State Government signed with different agencies to open the door of Manipur to outside investors and The Sangai Express has already had its say.

A clear example that the Government agencies are not putting their best foot forward or is it a case of negligence, is the natural question that follows.

This is certainly not what is expected from the BJP led Government which came to power fuelling a feel good factor amongst the people after 15 years of Congress rule.

Not everything is lost for the Government still has time to rectify the earlier shortcomings and set things right.

What however is a cause of concern is the question, “If this can happen to the biggest State festival, then what about the other issues ?”

Unfortunate it is but unwittingly the State Government has managed to make an issue out of the ongoing Sangai Festival.

And this is an issue which is already haunting the ongoing indigenous games and adventure sports underway at Khuman Lampak Sports Complex as part of the Sangai Festival.

It was with a reason why the report “No entry, no news for indigenous games and adventure sports” was carried on the sports page of this newspaper on November 24.

On what grounds were sports reporters restricted from entering the venue of the indigenous games and adventure sports ?

Were the security personnel not properly briefed or were they under the impression that the reporters had gone to Khuman Lampak Sports complex to watch the games free of cost ?

It is this mindset which is unacceptable.

The organisers should immediately get down to the business of drilling some sense on the security personnel manning the venue and educate them on the fact that reporters come there to cover the events and not attend as spectators.

The passes issued to reporters should be respected or is it a case of the reporters being denied entry because they do not come under the breed of VIPs ?