Mumbai News: Students Join Citizens' Movement Demanding Cancellation Of Sunburn Music Festival 2025

Mumbai: The opposition against the upcoming Sunburn Festival is growing in Mumbai with widespread protests as the electronic dance music (EDM) extravaganza is set to mark its debut in Mumbai. After Navi Mumbai and Palghar districts, the citizen-led movement, Nasha Virodhi Sangharsh Abhiyan, along with students as well as social and religious organisations, staged a protest outside Dadar railway station demanding the cancellation of the event.

Asia’s Biggest EDM Event Shifts from Goa to Mumbai

Asia’s biggest EDM spectacle, the Sunburn Festival, is scheduled to be held from December 19 to 21 in Sewri, officially moving its flagship end-of-year event from Goa to Mumbai. The highly-anticipated music festival is being opposed by a citizens’ group, Nasha Virodhi Sangharsh Abhiyan, who have demanded to cancel the festival, alleging that it will promote consumption of drugs among the youth.

On Sunday, the group was joined by young college students and members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Sanatan Sanstha, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, Manav Seva Pratishthan and Vajradal organisation to oppose the upcoming three-day concert. The participants collectively raised strong opposition to the western music event, alleging excessive consumption of narcotic substances and alleged non-payment of government taxes. Protesters were seen holding placards and raising slogans such as ‘Remove Sunburn – Save the Nation’.

Students at the forefront of the protest voiced deep concern, alleging that the festival, in the guise of entertainment, actively promotes drug addiction among the youth. They questioned the Maharashtra government's decision to grant permission to the music festival, pointing out that in the years 2013, 2019, and 2024, several criminal cases were registered against the organisers of this event.

Student Protester Voices Strong Objection

Shreya Nalawade, a college student who participated in the protest, said, "Is this an attempt to push the youth into the quagmire of addiction? Or will deaths due to narcotic substances be allowed to happen again? My question to the Government is that what is the objective behind permitting such an event that encourages drug consumption? Therefore, we students demand that this program be cancelled immediately."

Dhanashree Kelshikar, a member of the Nasha Virodhi Sangharsha Abhiyan, raised concerns about Maharashtra government's failure to adopt zero-tolerance policy against drug abuse. “Allowing such a program, which is deeply associated with narcotic substances, to take place in Mumbai is sheer hypocrisy. Therefore, our clear demand is that the Sunburn Festival should be permanently banned,” she said.

The Free Press Journal contacted Spacebound Web Labs Pvt. Ltd., an events company which organises Sunburn Festival, through email but did not receive any response.

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