SHILLONG, May 3: Is it a case of sabotage? If yes, then who is the saboteur? If not, then how did the names of two prominent and recognised filmmakers of the state — Pradip Kurbah and Dominic Sangma — disappear from the list of members of the film fraternity from the Northeastern region who are scheduled to participate in the upcoming Cannes Film Festival in France to be held from May 16 to 27.
A senior official had, earlier, confirmed that the names of Kurbah and Sangma were forwarded by the state government to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Interestingly, the two persons who will now represent the state at Cannes as per the list submitted by the Ministry to the French Embassy requesting to expedite the issue of Visa are Commander Shangpliang and Nicholas Lemtor Kharkongor.
Questions are being raised as to how the two names forwarded by the state government were replaced and by whom.
There are also question marks on the contributions of Shangpliang and Kharkongor towards filmmaking in Meghalaya.
Attempts to contact Information and Public Relations Minister, Ampareen Lyngdoh failed as she was travelling from New Delhi to the state capital.
