The Punjabi Association of South Australia has accused a local council of discrimination after an application for the Diwali Festival at a public part in Adelaide was rejected.
The association’s application for holding a festival at Thorndon Park on October was refused by Campbelltown City Council last week. The Diwali Fest was organised at the same venue in 2014.
The ABC has reported that the council meeting minutes show that it was set to approve the use of the park for the festival when two councillors vetoed the motion.
Punjabi Association of SA President Kuldip Chugha said he was told their application was refused because the festival would not appeal to the wider community.
Kuldip Chugha Source: Facebook
"They are saying that if you want to hold a function you have to speak English there," The ABC quoted him as saying.
"They make very discriminatory comments at their council meeting."
"We feel like Campbelltown City Council is not welcoming of a multicultural society," he added.
"They are not considering us like we are Australian, like a society that's part of Australian society, they made a comment in such a way that we are like an outsider group."
Mr. Chugha said the 2014 festival attended by more than 10,000 people from around South Australia.
"It was attended by Opposition Leader Steven Marshall and local members of Parliament John Gardner and Vincent Tarzia and the Governor of South Australia, so everybody likes it," Mr Chuga said.
"Why do they only have an objection against us?"
The organisers are now looking for another location for the festival.
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