Panaji: Goa government will keep a strict watch on the usage of upcoming carnival festival floats to propagate the message against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Corporation of City of Panaji Mayor Uday Madkaikar told PTI that screening committee selected by state tourism department would keep a strict watch on “any possibility of using the floats for flashing anti-CAA slogans.”
The carnival float parade led by King Momo would be held on February 22 in Panaji followed by other cities in the state.
Madkaikar, who is part of the organizing committee, said that the “floats would not be allowed to propagate any political messages.”
“If we find anyone involved in such acts, would be evicted from the parade,” he said.
Madkaikar said that nudity and commercial exploitation is also debarred from the float parades, which are witnessed by several thousand people.
“Last year, we had evicted one of the float from the parade in Panaji when we found some obscene depictions on it,” he said.
CCP’s Commissioner Sanjith Rodrigues said that the float parade is not a platform for any protest.
“If anyone wants to protest against CAA, they can do it at Azad Maidan (in panaji) and we will permit them to do so,” he said.
“The festivals like carnival are not the one for protests,” he said.
State tourism department has been hosting float parades across the state to commemorate Carnival festival.
