Ban Sunburn Festival : Save the Future of Youths !

What is this Sunburn Festival ?

Sunburn is a commercial electronic dance music festival held in India. It was previously in Vagator, Goa, India every year, but now has been shifted to Pune in Maharashtra. It is Asia’s largest music festival. The festival is an amalgamation of Music, Entertainment, Food and Shopping, and was ranked by CNN in 2009 as one of the Top 10 Festivals in the world. The Festival was incepted by serial entrepreneur Shailendra Singh, while Jt MD of Percept.

The first Sunburn was held at Candolim Beach on December 27 and 28, 2007. Goa government did not permit the event after 2016. But in 2019, the government of Goa had permitted Sunburn to come back.

When skin gets darkened due to scorching heat (due to ultra-violet rays), it is called in English as ‘sunburn’. Sunburn festival has similarity with the meaning as it darkens the cultural and moral life of young generation through drug-addictions and immoral activities carried on during this festival. People, who value Indian culture, are opposing to this festival and strongly demanding cancellation of such festival in Goa.

GFP Opposes Sunburn Festival, says it is music of “Demons”

A Goa Forward Party (GFP) leader and former state minister on Saturday claimed that he has submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “secret” report on the nexus of the drug, in which he has named several politicians and policemen.

Talking to reporters, GFP MLA Vinod Paliencar said, “The government should promote classical music and not trance music. This trance music, to which the youth is getting attracted, is the music of demons,”.

He also demanded a ban on the upcoming Sunburn Electronic Dance Music Festival. The Goa government has given ‘in-principle’ approval for hosting Sunburn Klassique EDM festival in the coastal belt of Vagator in North Goa between December 27 and 29.

Moral breakdown of young generation !

Young generation falling prey to addictions !

Drug addiction and abuse is a critical problem in India and the situation is worsening due to peer pressure, popularity, easy availability and lack of policing. Young men and women from such high society fall prey to various addictions and get totally under the grip of addictions; making their life worthless.

The Sunburn festival attracts thousands of revellers, mostly youngsters from urban India, who flock to Goa for the three-day event. On previous occasions, when Sunburn was held in Goa, a large number of youth were caught consuming Hukkah and Chilim as also drugs were being consumed by them in make-shift toilets constructed at festival site.

A young girl, Meha Bahuguna, died at the festival because of drug overdose in 2009 in Goa. Tukaram Naik of the Candolim Nagrik Manch had then told the press conference that, “Such festivals are giving Goa tourism and the village of Candolim a bad name. We have written to the state administration to cancel permissions. Let the administration take the death of Bahuguna to its logical conclusion and bring to book those responsible,’.

A youth by the name Saurabh Agarwal was arrested for carrying drugs at the festival site on yet another occasion when it was staged at Vagator in Goa. In 2013, about 450 bottles of Ketamin (the “date-rape-drug” used for sexual exploitation of women) were seized from the festival site. Thus, the staging of such dubious and perverse “festival” is nothing but a conspiracy to misdirected our youth which is increasingly being viewed globally as our major national asset on a path of self-distruction.

The Goa Police embarked on several raids and arrested a notorious drug dealer, David Driham alias Dudu. An Israeli drug dealer was also arrested, Yanit Benaim alias Atala. This was in conjunction with the arrest of seven policemen. Dudu said that it is “easy to deal in drugs in India as the entire society is ‘corrupt.’” He named three Goa police officials who he bribed to “run his business ‘smoothly.’” Atala said that a “senior anti-narcotics cell (ANC) officer, whom he identifies as ‘Ashish,’ regularly sells him drugs seized from raids.” This therefore, reveals connections between the drug trade and the Goan police. This shows how dangerous India has become.

Reference : Talking Drugs, Punekarnews, News18

Western music increases irresponsible behavior !

One more common thing found in ‘high profile’ feasts is western/Pop music played on DJ ! In Sunburn festival also electronic instruments are used and people dance in vulgar manner. Under the guise of enjoyment, then young people start dancing on pop music, increasing irresponsible behavior. One will not experience such things when Indian classical music is played. Nobody will think of dancing in irresponsible manner while classical music is played. Moreover, people experience peace while listening to Indian music.

Thus Sunburn festival is attracting thousands of revellers and crippling the next generation !

Sunburn, Supersonic EDM fests owe Goa govt around Rs 6 crore

According to the data released under RTI, Percept owes the Goa government a total of Rs 6.29 crore since 2011-12 as dues under entertainment tax, traffic cell charges and police bandobast charges for Sunburn. Against the Rs 12.07 crore entertainment tax levied on Percept, only Rs 7.67 crores were paid.

A. Goa government has officially given permission for organizing Sunburn festival; However, Tourism Minister Manohar Azgavkar has stated on several occasions that Sunburn will not be allowed to host the festival without paying past due.

Questions are arising in the minds of the common people that, Has Sunburn paid the defaulted taxes ? Or have they got the permission without paying the due taxes ? What message will go into society if we go soft on tax defaulters ? When will the due taxes be deposited to the government treasure ?

B. According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) data, unemployment in Goa hit an all-time high of 34.5% in November 2019. Goa’s economy has hit a rough patch with the closure of mining bringing the entire state to a grinding halt. More than a lakh people were directly or indirectly dependent on the iron ore mining sector. The tourism sector in the state is also witnessing a downturn with fewer footfalls from international tourists.

When Goa’s economy has hit a rough patch with the increase in unemployment rate to the all time high, and government is going soft on the organizers of Sunburn festival who owe Goa govt around Rs 6 crore !

Reference : TOI

Goa’s tourism should be increased by promoting its Rich Heritage and not by Sunburn festival !

The area blessed by Lord Parshuram and called “Parshuram ki bhoomi”. The Goa is also considered as Parashurama Kshetra or Parshuram bhoomi.

Being immensely gifted by nature for its scenic beauty, beautiful beaches girdling its 105-km long palm-fringed coast interspersed with enchanting coves, bays and estuaries, paddy fields, shady coconut, cashew and mango groves dotted with tiny picturesque villages, temples and churches renowned for worship, forts. Goa is a tourist paradise for both domestic and foreign tourists, it attracts tourists in thousands.

Day by day Indian youths are becoming more addicted to drugs. If Goa’s tourism department wants to increase tourism, there are many rich culture and heritage in the state and country that will connect foreign tourists to Indian culture. Government should promote them and increase tourism; And preserve the cultural heritage of Goa by permanently banishing the Sunburn Festival from India, which is encouraging Western culture and pushing Indian youths into the throes of addiction !

Sunburn festival violates noise norms !

Sunburn festival has a tradition of violating all the rules and regulations that other citizens have to abide by while celebrating traditional festivals throughout the year. Be it during the Ganesh festival or during Diwali festival, a certain limit to the sound decibel has been given to us which if we fail to follow, immediate actions are taken against us. Supreme Court has put restrictions on bursting firecrackers and playing loudspeakers during festivals, so why are events like Sunburn allowed to play loud music after midnight.

Against this backdrop we are making further demands to the Goa Government …

1. EDM festivals in Goa that is westernizing and making young people addictive should be banned. Goa should made free of ‘EDM’.

2. Government should immediately cancel the permission given to Sunburn for organizing ‘EDM’ festival at Vegator and stop the sale of event tickets.

3. Government should recover the defaulted taxes from Sunburn with interest.

4. Complaint should be registered according to the flag code, against the organizers of ‘Sunburn Festival’ for insulting the national flag.