Tomatina fest runs into opposition in Kota for ‘disrespecting farmers’
Event organisers in Kota may be gearing up to celebrate Holi with a difference this year, but the event, a take-off of Spain’s famed La Tomatina festival, has hit a wall with a consumers’ body protesting against it.
Holi, the festival of colours, is traditionally celebrated with gulal, but a private city-based group is organising the “Kota Tomatina Holi Fest, 2017” at the Maa Bharti International School in Nayagaon neighbourhood of the city on March 12.
La Tomatina is a festival usually held in a small town called Buñol located in Valencia, Spain where hundreds of people participate and throw ripe tomatoes at each other every year.
State convener of the All India Consumer Congress Mahesh Ahuja says, “Farmers produce tomatoes and other agricultural produce with their hard work and wasting tomatoes by splashing the vegetable at each other during the event, will be disgrace to the farmers.”
Dushyant Singh Gehlot, Kota divisional president of the consumer congress, says imitating another country’s culture during Holi, will lead to a negative impact on children, who will one day forget their festival.
He says that they have submitted a memorandum to the district administration for not allowing the event to be held in Kota.
The Genesis, a private group along with an event management firm will organise the ‘Kota Tomatina Holi Fest 2017.
Asked about the event, Rajan at the Genesis, says, “We will buy discarded tomatoes from farm- ers, which are of no use to anyone and will also pay the farmers for the tomatoes, which they otherwise would destroy ,” he says.
“We are not organising the Tomatina on the day of Dhulendi when the festival of colours is celebrated, but a day prior to it on February 12, when Holi is celebrated with herbal colours,” he says. “We have decided to celebrate Tomatina, keeping in view the demand of the young generation the fest is now being held in the other parts of the country as well as.”
Only families will be allowed at the event for which limited passes will be sold and intoxicated people will be allowed at the event, he says. Only 500 people will be allowed at the event, he says, and adds that if anyone has any objections about the event, they are ready to take their suggestions on it.