Amid ‘Distorted’ Bihu dance controversy, this is what Assam Cultural Affairs dept says

Digital Desk: The Cultural Affairs Department of Assam clarified on Saturday that the group performing the state's traditional dance was not sent by them, in response to the controversy over the presentation of Bihu in a "distorted" manner when welcoming United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for the G20 Summit, which is growing day by day.

In a statement, the director of the department said, "I want to make it clear that the group doing an Assamese folk dance to welcome Rishi Sunak, the prime minister of the United Kingdom, was not sent by the department. Additionally, we don't know where the group came from or who allowed them to perform that style of Bihu dancing.

"No one from the government or NGO approached or contacted us to show the British prime minister our culture," it further added. (translated from Assamese)

This has led to concerns over who sent the group or let them depict Assam's rich culture in two instances in a "distorted" manner.

It has come to light that the same group of dancers welcomed Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in August by performing the folk dance in the same "distorted" manner.

The Assamese community has criticized the incident because it hurt their feelings and demanded stringent action from the organizers.