By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 25: Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee chief, Vincent H Pala asked the state government to reconsider its decision of hosting the grand finale of the Cherry Blossom Festival on a Sunday.
“My personal view is that there will be some disturbance if the festival concludes on a Sunday,” Pala told The Shillong Times here on Wednesday.
The Cherry Blossom Festival will commence on November 17 and conclude on November 19 which is a Sunday.
“Sunday is a sacred and holy day for the Christians. Many people go to churches on a Sunday. We need to remember that people in general do not feel happy if anything is organized on a Sunday since most of them rest on this day,” Pala said.
He felt that it will be better if the festival concludes on a Friday or a Saturday.
“We have always witnessed that there is strong reservation from people if any event is held on a Sunday. They question if there is any official function on that day,” Pala said, adding that even political parties are questioned if they organise any meeting or event on Sundays.
“Personally, I will not attend any meeting in Parliament on a Sunday unless it is very important,” the Shillong MP said.
Meanwhile, the Meghalaya United Christian Forum (MUCF) has called upon the state government to reconsider the decision.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, MUCF chairman Rev Batkupar Dunai expressed the Forum’s belief that while every day is a divine gift, Sunday holds a special place as a holy day for communal worship among various denominations of the Christian faith.
Dunai appealed to the government to consider rescheduling the concluding events of the festival to honour the sentiments of the Christians.
“This move would be in respectful acknowledgment of the feelings of the Christian population in Meghalaya which cherishes Sunday as a sacred and divinely-appointed day for uninterrupted prayer, worship and fellowship within the Church, without the distraction of extravagant events,” he said.
Earlier, the Khasi Jaintia Christian Leaders’ Forum (KJCLF) had emphasised that Sunday remains a sacred and holy day for Christians and churches.
KJCLF secretary, Rev Dr EH Kharkongor had stated that the forum desires festivals to be celebrated peacefully, with active community involvement, free from disturbances and fostering an atmosphere of peace and harmony within the state.
