Many said the Bihu organisers took such a big step after 1983, when Assam witnessed turmoil due to the anti-foreigners agitation.
To say things aren't the same as before, would bean understatement. Amid national lockdown, even the fervour with which peoplecelebrate festivals isn't the same. It started around the time of Holi earlierthis month, with people being scared to play it in a crowd.
As the situation intensified, the entire industrywas shutdown, and ultimately the nation. Even as talk has been rife all throughSaturday that the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown is likely to continue for two moreweeks, the Bihu celebrations across the state of Assam have fallenvictim to the new coronavirus. Rongali Bihu celebrations in Assam will remainrestricted to rituals only in view of the coronavirus fear.
As the state government was taking every possiblestep to prevent the spread of coronavirus, organisers of most Bihucelebrations, Assam's biggest festival, decided to cancel their on-stageprogrammes.
Assam Director General of Police (DGP) BhaskarJyoti Mahanta has requested the Bihu committees to have an assembly of fivepeople only to hoist the flag.
The DGP has also asked the committees to restrictthe hoisting of the flag to 30 minutes and ensure social distancing. Due to thecurrent threat posed by the virus, DGP Mahanta has urged people to abstain frommass gatherings.
Earlier, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hadsuggested the Bihu committees to hoist the celebration flag instead ofarranging cultural programme. "Four or five persons will be allowed to attendthe flag hoisting progamme", Sarma said.
"Good days will come, once the deadly virusleaves…will observe Bihu and other festivals when the situation back tonormal", Sarma said.
Many said the Bihu organisers took such a bigstep after 1983, when Assam witnessed turmoil due to the anti-foreignersagitation.
