Goa cancels Russia fest

The  Chief Minister of Goa, Manohar Parrikar, has  justified the state government's action in the last minute cancellation of a planned Indo-Russian musical event , saying that had the event taken place there could have been could have been law and order repercussions. Whilst permission had been given for the Great Live Music Festival to take place on January 31-February 1, 2014 at Candolim, rhe permission was withdrawn and the event  cancelled as the venue was close to a church. Parrikar told the Goa Legislative Assembly that the state-level permission committee (SLPC) had given its green light for the event when the situation was normal in the area, but cancelled it when tension started brewing there.  The evnt was organised by a Russian company in association with the Russian Consulate in Mumbai, and well-known bands from India including Indian Ocean and Parikrama as well as Russian bands were to perform at the festival.  Russian consulate officials held a press conference econdemning the state government's action.