Team Goemkarponn
MARGAO: Madganvcho Awaaz has come out strongly against what it terms as the “arrogant and dismissive behaviour” of the Chairman of Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, during the recent Supaari Aandolan held by Kala Rakhan Maand.
The civic group condemned the chairman’s response to peaceful demands by artists, who were calling for greater transparency and accountability in the functioning of the cultural institution.
“The artists were simply demanding transparency and accountability in an institution meant to serve, not suppress, Goa’s cultural community,” said youth leader Prabhav Naik, speaking on behalf of Madganvcho Awaaz.
Naik further highlighted that the issues plaguing Ravindra Bhavan go well beyond programming and finances.
“There are serious infrastructure concerns, including visible disrepairs, repeated leakages, and lingering questions over the building’s structural safety,” he said. “Instead of responding with responsibility, the Chairman chose hostility and disregard.”
The group expressed full solidarity with the Supaari Aandolan and has called upon all Salcete MLAs to raise the issue forcefully in the upcoming session of the Goa Legislative Assembly.
“The government must act decisively. Ravindra Bhavan should not be allowed to go the way of the Kala Academy,” Naik warned.
The sudden and unexplained closure of the Pai Tiatrist Auditorium within the Bhavan has become a major point of contention.
“This is a glaring example of mismanagement and lack of foresight,” said Naik, noting the resulting financial losses for tiatrists, theatre groups, and production houses who have been left without a performance venue.
“Ravindra Bhavan is not the personal property of any individual. It is a public cultural space.
The executive committee must function as custodians of public trust, ensuring transparency, accountability, and community participation,” Naik asserted.
The most concerning issue, he said, is the Chairman’s continued failure to disclose essential information such as the extent of the damage, estimated cost of repairs, or a timeline for restoration.
“Such a lack of preparedness and communication is unacceptable when public funds and artistic livelihoods are at stake,” he added.
Madganvcho Awaaz has appealed to the Chief Minister of Goa, who also holds the Art and Culture portfolio, to intervene immediately. The group has demanded the formation of an independent Monitoring Committee comprising experts and representatives from the artist community to oversee ongoing and future works at Ravindra Bhavan.
