Oppn criticises Meghalaya govt’s move to close schools for Bryan Adams concert

Shillong, Dec 10: The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government has come under fire from opposition parties, educators, and citizens for its decision to close schools in Shillong on December 10 to accommodate Canadian Grammy-winning artiste Bryan Adams’s "So Happy It Hurts 2024" concert.

The opposition, led by the Voice of the People Party (VPP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC), criticised the move, accusing the government of prioritising entertainment over education.

“Closing schools for a concert is a clear misalignment of priorities,” said VPP media cell member Airpeace Rani.

Echoing similar concerns, TMC youth leader Fernandez Dkhar called the decision “unprecedented”, adding, “It’s strange to tackle evening traffic by giving the entire day off.”

The government justified the closure as a "security and logistical measure", citing expected heavy traffic due to a large influx of concertgoers.

Reportedly, several parts of Shillong had been declared no-entry zones, including key routes like Lumjingshai, Polo Market, and Golf Link. Temporary parking facilities have been arranged for attendees.

In its defence, the government said the decision was made at the request of the Tourism Department.

“The anticipated large turnout for Bryan Adams’s maiden Meghalaya performance necessitated these measures to prevent significant traffic disruption,” the notification explained.

The controversy deepened with reports of concert tickets being sold at inflated prices of ₹30,000 in the black market.

Commissioner and Secretary of Information and Public Relations Vijay Mantri was tasked with handling media ticket distribution personally.

Bryan Adams’s Shillong concert is part of a larger India tour that kicked off in Kolkata on December 8.

Scheduled performances will also take place in Gurugram, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad throughout December.

By-

Staff Correspondent