GUWAHATI: AAGSU condemns Excise Dept’s irresponsible act of Dismantling of Ethnic Food and Beverages Stalls at the NE Ethnic Food Festival
Posted by Barun Roy on January 11th, 2012
THE HIMALAYAN BEACON [BEACON ONLINE]
Guwahati 8th Jan 2012: From various reliable sources and the media we got the news that on Friday without any prior information or notice, around 50 armed constables, enforcement inspector of excise, deputy superintendent, superintendent and two assistant inspectors arrived at the Maniram Dewan Trade Centre, Guwahati around 7.30pm where the North East Ethnic Food Festival was going on with full ethnic spirit and vandalised the stalls and even beat up the women participants. According the organizers the NE Ethnic Food festival is primarily for promotion of the ethnic cuisines of the North east and the same was informed to excise department. Under these conditions the All Assam Gorkha Students’ Union (AAGSU), the influential students and youth organization of the ethnic Gorkhas of the state vehemently condemns the incident of dismantling the ethnic cuisine stalls at the ethnic food festival. The food festival is part of the 6th International Trade Festival, being held at Maniram Dewan Trade Centre in Betkuchi.
Talking to the mediapersons here in Guwahati today Nanda Kirati Dewan, information and publicity secretary AAGSU said , ‘Vandalism in the name of raid that too in an expo at the behest of the darkness on tribal women’s food stalls and beverages without any prior information is a condemnable act. We the AAGSU condemn it in toughest words and seek proper investigation. I fairly hope that it has not been done in cold blood to restrict promotion of ethnic cuisines and its commercialization in days to come.’. He further added, ‘The AAGSU organizes Gorkha Youth Festival in various parts of state as and when it is felt or alongside conferences wherein we promote Gorkha cuisines, drinks, handlooms, handicrafts, ethnic wears, weapons etc just by submitting an application in the concerned department. We are in favour of promoting all the ethnic cuisines of the Northeast through various dias fora and any such attempt to restrict promotion in cold blood hurting the sentiments of ethnic indigenous tribal people will not be tolerated. AAGSU along with other ethnic organization will take to street if it re-occurs in any part of the state.