Margao – Entertainment Society of Goa was established by former Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar to organise International Film Festival of India. Unfortunately ESG turned out to be Extravagant Society of Goa hosting International Fraud Festival of India (IFFI). The current illegal film shooting happening in Goa is a reflection of late Manohar Parrikars corrupt legacy stated South Goa District Committee president Joseph Dias.
Instead of focussing on developing infrastructure to facilitate film shootings, film productions with editing facilities etc; former CM Manohar Parrikar encouraged corruption in various works undertaken during IFFI. Tenders were given to BJP functionaries for exhorbitant rates who literally looted the State coffers, charged Joseph Dias.
Film & Television Programme Shooting in Goa are now facilitated by some Agents linked to BJP. They take huge commission to arrange film shootings in Goa. The top office bearers of the ESG are hand in glove with the BJP functionaries who deliberately dont insist on taking official permission from ESG by paying fees. With such acts, there is loss to government revenue but pockets of party functionaries get full, Joseph Dias said.
The BJP Government after coming to power in 2012 is spending almost 25 to 30 crores on every edition of IFFI. Ironically, the role of the Goa Government is now reduced to Travel & Hospitality Agent, with all powers of programming sections of the mega film festival remaining in the hands of Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Directorate of Film Festivals.
There are scams in every IFFI especially on Cultural Programmes, Venue Constructs, Lighting & Illumination, Decoration tenders. Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant has not taken any steps to investigate the scams despite our Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat exposing the irregularities in the assembly, Joseph Dias said.
The irresponsible BJP Government is yet to give financial assistance to Goan film makers whose films were produced in 2010 to 2012 and even shown in IFFI. Former CM Manohar Parrikar had appointed film maker Rajendra Talak as Vice Chairman of ESG who always worked to harass the Goan film fraternity. His sole intention was to promote his own films and empty State treasury, said Joseph Dias.
The role of Ravindra Bhavan, Margao is to help, encourage and facilitate local artists from Salcete. They have no business to give the auditoriums for shooting by damaging the chairs and other infrastructure. Chairman Damu Naik must find out ways to help the tiatr, drama artists who have suffered huge financial losses due to Covid pandemic.
It is sad that Ravindra Bhavan Chairman leased out the prestigious Pai Tiatrist Auditorium to the production house of marathi television programme just to make an appearance on the stage as guest. He allowed the shooting to continue even when some staff of Ravindra Bhavan were tested positive for Covid. The self publicity obsession of the BJP functionaries is seriously affecting the people at large, said Joseph Dias.
