Dwijing Festival to be made State calendar event: Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma

Our Correspondent

KOKRAJHAR: At a time when there is turmoil in the State due to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019 yet the 4th Dwijing Festival is going on peacefully at Khagrabari on the Aie River bank near Hagrama Bridge in Chirang district.

Thousands of visitors from across the country have come to enjoy the biggest river festival in the region. The traditional food, exhibition, elephant ride, horse riding, boat sailing, cultural extravaganza, helicopter service, hot balloon, para-motoring, boxing competition for the Northeast zone and Khomlainai (traditional Bodo wrestling) have made the festival more attractive.

State Finance, PWD and Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday visited the Dwijing Festival and gave away the prizes of the NE zone boxing competition. Later, he addressed a brief public meeting in the open dais at the festival. He was accompanied by Tourism Minister Chandan Brahma.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Sarma said the huge crowd of people in the ongoing Dwijing Festival clearly showed the peaceful co-existence between people of the region. The rest of the State was in turmoil due to the anti-CAA stir but the people of the BTC region were maintaining peace and unity. This implied that people wanted peace and not unrest, he said, adding that CAA would not bring harm to the people of the State as the Government of India had ensured the protection of all indigenous people.

Sarma said that peace was important for all-round development and promotion of tourism. Replying to questions, Sarma said the Dwijing Festival would be made a State calendar event and the ministry concerned would be able to declare it any time. He also said that the State Government had been extending the financial grant of Rs 6 crore for the Dwijing Festival for promotion of the tourism sector and they were getting expected results.

When asked about BJP’s role in the forthcoming BTC election this year, the minister said that relations between the BJP, AGP, and BPF were smooth. He said the BJP had also decided to field candidates in the council election but it would not be forceful. The party would field candidates only in those constituencies which BPF president Hagrama Mohilary would leave for the BJP, he said.

The meeting was also attended by BTC deputy chief Kampa Borgoyary, State Tourism Minister Chandan Brahma, BTC Principal Secretary BC Phukan and others.

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