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Bomb blasts overshadow Holi festivities
WITH THE festival of colours Holi just a day away, many social, cultural and trade organisations are in favour of keeping the celebration a low key affair in view of the bomb blasts here on March 7, while some organisations are totally against the celebration. More than two dozen organisations have cancelled their proposed Holi Milan functions to express their sorrow and extend their sympathy towards the bereaved family members of blast victims.
WITH THE festival of colours Holi just a day away, many social, cultural and trade organisations are in favour of keeping the celebration a low key affair in view of the bomb blasts here on March 7, while some organisations are totally against the celebration.
More than two dozen organisations have cancelled their proposed Holi Milan functions to express their sorrow and extend their sympathy towards the bereaved family members of blast victims.
Founder president of Bhelupur Vyapar Mandal and patron of Kamachcha Vyapar Mandal Santosh Ojha said that the Vyapar Mandal had decided not to celebrate Holi and had cancelled the proposed Holi Milan in view of the recent bomb blasts.
“All the trade organisation associated with our association, including Rathyatra Vayapar Mandal, Lanka Vyapar Mandal and Bhadaini Vyapar Mandal will not celebrate Holi and will not organise Holi Milan functions”, he said.
Patron of Sankalp (a social organisation) Anil Jain said that his organisation would celebrate Holi in a simple manner as this festival inculcated a sense of communal harmony and brotherhood. Sankalp distributed sprinklers, colours and other items related with Holi celebration among the orphans of Kashi Seva Samiti today.
The Kashi Sarrafa Mandal also organised a meeting here today and decided not to celebrate Holi due to the blasts.
General secretary of the Mandal Anil Mehrotra informed that the members of the Sarrafa Mandal would not celebrate Holi and it was decided to cancel the proposed Holi Milan as a mark of respect to the departed souls and to the bereaved family members of the blast victims.
Similarly, Sindhu Samaj Samiti also decided to cancel its
proposed function on the occasion of Holi due to the bomb blasts, according to president of the Samiti Vishan Kumar Roopani.
Several employees’ associations, including Jalkal Karmchari Sangh, Jal Sansthan Karamchari Sangh, Yuva Shramik Parishad, Nalkoop Karamchari and Ministerial Staff Association organised an emergency meeting and decided to cancel its Holi Milan function. Secretary of Jalkal Karmchari Sangh, Arun Kumar informed that it was decided unanimously to cancel the Holi Milan in view of the bomb blasts.
A meeting of traders was also held today to pay homage to the victims of the blasts.
In the meeting, president of Kashi Yuva Vyapar Pratinidhi Mandal, Akhilesh Singh, general secretary of Varanasi Motor Parts dealer, Anil Yadav, president of Banaras Motor Service Sangh, Rakesh Singh and president of Battery Association, Kallu Singh jointly condemned the blasts and decided not to celebrate Holi this year.
