Alipurduar, Jan. 6: The Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre under the ministry of culture has cancelled the dance programme of 140 Rava girls on Republic Day in Delhi because of time constraint.

Instead, 80 of them have been allowed to perform at the state parade in Calcutta.

This eleventh hour cancellation has disappointed the girls who would have been the first group from the region and the only participants from Bengal to perform at the national function this year.

The girls had performed in Siliguri in November in front of an expert committee from the ministry of defence from Delhi. The committee had zeroed in on the two-minute nakcheng reni dance.

On December 31, Sushil Kumar Rava, coordinator of Koch Rava Krishti Party, received a call from Delhi asking him not to leave on January 1 for the programme. Later on January 4, he received a letter from A.K. Singh, the director of Zonal Cultural Centre, saying the ministry of defence has cancelled their programme since it has no time to train the girls.

Anuradha Mukherjee, the director of the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, has contacted Gopal Krishna Gandhi, the governor of Bengal, asking him to allow the team to perform at the state parade.

“Most of the girls are from poor families. With much difficulty, they had purchased new dresses and arranged for their trip. We worked really hard. Now all our efforts have become useless,” said Rava.

The coordinator said now that he has to select only 80 girls for the state parade in Calcutta, the remaining 60 girls will feel deprived.

“The Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre should have informed us earlier instead of just 24 hours before our departure. We have written to Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, the minister of information and culture, and A.K. Antony, minister of defence about this,” said Rava.

Goutam Mukherjee, the programme officer of the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, said: “Next year, these girl will definitely be allowed to perform in Delhi.”