Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nagaland government has decided to host the state’s popular Hornbill Festival virtually this year.

The Neiphiu Rio government earlier drew flak after the tourism department issued a notification, asking other departments to initiate preparations for the mega cultural event.

The Hornbill Festival is annually held from December 1 to 10.

The opposition, the Naga People’s Front (NPF), had slammed the state government’s decision to organize the festival amid the pandemic.

Although most of the celebrations will be held virtually, the NPF is of the opinion that the move to celebrate the event this year is nothing but a ‘suicide mission’.

Lambasting the decision, the party had urged the government to change its decision for the safety of its people.

The NPF sought to know how far it is safe to celebrate the Hornbill Festival in whatever way the government is contemplating. Can the government assure the Naga public that nothing will happen to any participants because of the virus, it asked.

The party said the state government must be well aware that the positivity rate in Nagaland has surpassed the national rate, which clearly indicated that the state has a higher transmission rate than the national rate.