HT Bureau

GUWAHATI, April 11: Members of Xodou Asom Bihu Sanmilani Samanwayrokshi Samittee on Sunday staged a protest at the Latasil playground here against the standard operation procedure (SOP) issued by the Assam government for celebration of Rongali Bihu festival and urged the state government to either revoke the SOP or call off the Bihu functions in the state.

“Assam government through this SOP has shifted the burden of Covid-19 tests to us instead of government departments,” Xodou Asom Bihu Sanmilani Samanwayrokshi Samittee general secretary Pranab Goswami said.

“We can either manage the Bihu functions, or engage ourselves in Covid tests at the MMCH and GMCH, but how can we do both?” Goswami questioned.

The Bihu organising committees alleged that the government is trying to impose the burden of the Covid protocol management to the Bihu committees through the SOP.

“We have completed 80 percent of the work related to the Bihu functions. But the SOP of the government is practically impossible for Bihu organisers to pursue due to time constraints. We appeal to the government to repeal the SOP or else cancel the Bihu functions like the previous year,” Goswami said.

The Bihu committees also claimed that going for Covid tests three days prior to the event is utterly impossible at this hour.

The Bihu organisers urged the government departments to take the responsibility of administering the SOP at the Bihu functions by deploying its men and machinery.

“We don’t have any issue, if the government takes the responsibility of the implementation of the SOP at the event, we are ok with it. But, instead, they are trying to shift the burden on the committee members,” Goswami added.

The Bihu organisers alleged that the government and political parties are making the Bihu committees the scapegoats to conduct Bihu functions in the state. “There was no SOP issued during the election campaigning/rallies where millions of people took part. But why this time,” said a Bihu organiser.