PRC vandalism: Assam artistes demand compensation

Artistes, including singers, film personalities, musicians and composers, took out a rally in Guwahati on Sunday condemning the Arunachal Pradesh mob attack that damaged their property in the venue of the first Itanagar International Film Festival (IIFF).

The All Assam Artistes Suraksha Mancha rally began from Commerce point to Chandmari area of the city demanding that Arunachal Pradesh government give them compensation for the damage caused to their musical instruments, sound system and other equipment.

Alleging that the miscreants set on fire the Film Festival venue, they demanded that the Assam government take up the compensation issue with the neighbouring state.

Popular singer Zubeen Garg said that as the musicians do not have any insurance coverage either for themselves or their musical instruments and sound systems, compensation should be paid to them to make good their loss.

The Mancha members also shouted slogans condemning the attack by unidentified miscreants. who vandalised the venue of the IIFF at Indira Gandhi Park and burnt their musical instruments to ashes, damaged their vehicles, generators and other equipment, besides burning down the convention halls, stages, temporary theatres, audio and video equipment and five inflatable screens, besides food courts.

They said on February 22, over 50 artistes went to Itanagar from different parts of the country, including Assam to perform at the IIFF.

A 48-hour shutdown was imposed by a conglomeration of students and civil society organisations from February 21 to protest against recommendations by Arunachal Pradesh government for granting Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) to six communities, who are not natives of Arunachal Pradesh but have been living in Namsai and Changlang districts of the state for decades.