Bihu performers left high and dry by dance coorditor

From a Correspondent

JORHAT, Feb 18: A serious allegation has been levelled against a Bihu dance coorditor, Praneeta B Sharma of Kushal gar, Jorhat, by a group of 12 student Bihu performers, comprising of six boys and six girls, of cheating the group of cash incentives received from organizers after performing across various districts of Orissa. As alleged, the group was lured by Praneeta for performance in Balangir Lok Utsav and Subar Lok Mahotsav, besides Youth Festival held from February 5 to February 14 in Orissa.

Talking to The Sentinel, Partho Pratim Neog and Rita Moni Saikia who led the group with instructions from Praneeta said, “Praneeta B Sharma approached us through one of our friends after seeing our outstanding performance in some show in Jorhat and promised us of a handsome earning if we performed outside the State of Assam. Accordingly, we were told to reach Bhubaneswar by February 4. Without a second thought we organized our group and left for Orissa on February 2. Upon reaching and without even taking proper rest we started performing first at Sonpur on February 5, February 6 and February 7, followed by performance at Sambhalpur on February 8 and February 9.”

“Likewise renewed performance at Birenpur was held on February 10 and February 11 and in

Balangir on February 13 and February 14. We had a deal of receiving around Rs 34,000

in cash from the first performance at Sonpur. However, after seeing our performance we are told to perform in other districts as well against Rs 30,000 per programme.”

The performers further said, “The said amount was to be divided among the 12 performers of Haat Bhoni Ejori Club. Not only this, Praneeta Sharma also made us cancel our reserved railway ticket back to Assam. But till date even after returning from Orissa we have not been paid a single penny by Praneeta. We have been cheated. Our pleadings went in vain and after exhausting all efforts, we decided to inform the police. However, one performer Kajol Bora, who is otherwise close to Praneeta, maged to extract her share

of Rs 2,800 rupee. She did not join us on our way to the police station to lodge an FIR.”