Even as the Visakha Utsav commenced with a glittering ceremony on Friday, there was protest against the three-day festival.
Slum dwellers under the banner of POW took out a rally with black flags criticising the Government for organising the festival while they were still facing problems as their houses were blown away due to Hudhud cyclone on October 12. POW’s leader Lakshmi and others led the protest programme as women from slums affected by Hudhud cyclone went round the park on the old Central Jail premises.
Local artistes under the banner of Paryavarana Kalamandali staged a demonstration near the Gandhi statue opposite the GVMC main office to express their anger and resentment over the local artistes and performers having been ignored by the Utsav organisers.
