LEICESTER, U.K., September 7, 2012 (thisisleicestershire.co.uk): More than 2,000 people have signed a petition calling on council bosses not to axe a grant for a major Hindu celebration. Leicester City Council has been providing US$32,000 to help pay for an annual Navratri event at De Montfort Hall, but is considering stopping the support from next year.
The organizers of the Navratri celebrations, the Leicester Hindu Festivals Council, said the cut in funding, if approved, would mean it could not afford to stage the nine-night celebration in 2013. The city council will fund this year’s event, but president of the festival council, Maganbhai Patel, said it could not continue in the future without the grant.
He said: “This year, we are fine but next year, if we don’t get the funding, we won’t be able to hold the event. That would be a huge shame because it is enjoyed by about 9,000 people every year and is an important part of the city’s cultural and religious life.
The petition has triggered a debate among councillors which will take place at the council meeting at the Town Hall on Thursday. The proposed cut is part of a wider review of support the city council offers to festivals, both that it runs itself – such as the Diwali celebrations – and those run by community groups, such as the Caribbean Carnival.