Goa BJP unit wants low key Ganesh celebrations

The Bharatiya Janata Party has said that Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in the state should be a low key affair to curb the spread of swine flu virus.

"We are not advising to ban the celebrations. But the state government should take all the Ganesh chaturthi mandals in confidence and ask them to have the festivities on low key so that the swine flu virus does not spread further," Shekhar

Salkar, president, medical cell of the Goa unit of Bharatiya Janata Party told a press conference today.

Goa has registered 13 positive cases of swine flu while Ganesh Chaturthi season beginning from next week will see large number of people arriving from across the state.

"The decision of not having public Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations should be a voluntary one as no one can be forced to stop the festivities," Salkar said.

He stated that the state government may call for a meeting of all the public Ganesh Chaturthi celebration committees and educate them on the issue.

Salkar said that if isolated for eight days, the spread of virus can be checked.

The medical cell chief said that BJP activists would personally try to educate the public ganesh Chaturthi organisers on the issue.

He stated that Goa being a small state, it is possible to have a consensus on the issue and take steps to avoid the spread of the virus.