Probe bribery allegation before allowing Sunburn fest: Francisco Miccky Pacheco

PANAJI: Former Goa tourism minister Francisco Miccky Pacheco today demanded that the Sunburn music festival should not be allowed to be held in the state as long as allegations of bribery levelled by the organisers were not looked into.

The MLA said he received a text message from the Sunburn organisers who claimed that bribes were given last year to obtain the permission to hold the event in Goa.

" Goa government should think twice before allowing the event this time. The allegations levelled by the organisers should be probed," Pacheco said, adding that he had shown the text message to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and the current Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar.

Sunburn, an Electronic Music Dance (EDM) festival, is being organised this year on December 27-29, but the venue is yet to be decided.

Organisers were not available for comments. Pacheco told reporters that the organisers were levelling allegations against the state government without backing them with evidence.

"I don't oppose Sunburn, but it hurts that such allegations are levelled by the organisers who had even decided to pull out from Goa," Pacheco said.

While Goa government is yet to grant permission for holding the festival in the state this year, organisers have started selling tickets online.

Pacheco said they were encashing Goa's fame. The former minister said that as a response to the Sunburn, he would be hosting an EDM festival labelled 'Goa Beach Grind' at Betalbhatim on December 27-29, with a host of international DJs participating.

It will prove that Goans can organise such festivals on their own, he said.