Bengal's culture must be preserved, says Prahlad Patel ahead of Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav

Cooch Behar (West Bengal) [India], February 14 (ANI): The culture of West Bengal must be preserved, said Union Culture Minister Prahlad Patel ahead of inauguration of the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav on Sunday.
Patel alleged that there were attempts to obstruct the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav, the flagship festival of this Ministry organised since 2015 with the active participation of seven zonal culture centres has been playing a pivotal role to take the vibrant culture of India out to the masses instead of confining to auditoria and galleries.
"For the first time, Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav is being held in the north Bengal region. There are attempts to obstruct it. We believe the culture of West Bengal is its most important resource and must be preserved," Patel told the media.
The Governor of West Bengal, Jagdeep Dhankhar in the presence of Patel will inaugurate the 11th Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav today at Cooch Behar Palace at Cooch Behar in West Bengal.
The Ministry of Culture is mandated with the task of preservation, promotion, and propagation of Indian culture, both tangible and intangible which inter-alia includes traditional folk dances and art forms, performing arts, and rich tribal heritage.
The eleventh edition of Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav is being held between February 14-28 in West Bengal at Cooch Behar (February 14-16), Darjeeling (February 22-24), and Murshidabad (February 27-28, 2021).
Renowned artists including local artists will be a part of this major festival. The Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav-2021 will cover a profusion of folk art forms and it would offer the chance to experience the best in established and emerging virtuosity. (ANI)