The 24th Lokotsav festival, held from January 17 to 26, 2025, at Darya Sangam, Kala Academy in Panaji, has sparked frustration among artists and vendors who traveled from different parts of India but were not given stalls. Many had applied in advance and even made payments, yet upon arrival, they found no space allotted to them.
Some vendors also reported cases of double bookings, where a single stall was assigned to multiple people. This situation has raised concerns over the transparency of the stall allocation process.
In response to the complaints, Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude has assured an inquiry into the matter and invited affected participants for discussions to find a resolution.
