Artist News · English
Daler Mehndi row ends as Uttarakhand minister Subodh Uniyal apologises over the phone; Mika Singh's team welcomes it
The dispute that began when Uttarakhand cabinet minister Subodh Uniyal interrupted Daler Mehndi on stage at a Navratri fair in New Tehri appears to be over, after the minister apologised to the singer by phone.
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One of the music industry's angriest weeks has ended with an apology. Uttarakhand cabinet minister Subodh Uniyal has reportedly apologised to Daler Mehndi over the phone, and Mika Singh's team has said it hopes the matter can now be put to rest.
What happened
Daler Mehndi had been invited to perform at the Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair in New Tehri during Navratri. Midway through the show, Uniyal interrupted him from the stage and questioned his conduct in front of the crowd, alleging that the singer was drunk, was not performing properly and was lip-syncing at a religious event.
The public dressing-down of a veteran artist drew sharp criticism from across the entertainment industry. The film workers' body FWICE even wrote to the Prime Minister and to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami about the incident.
How it was resolved
- Chief Minister Dhami stepped in first, speaking to Mika Singh warmly and expressing regret on behalf of his minister.
- Mika said the Chief Minister did not need to apologise since he was not involved, but insisted the minister himself should speak to Daler.
- Dhami also invited both brothers to come back and perform in Uttarakhand.
- Uniyal has now apologised to Daler directly over a phone call.
In its statement, Mika's team thanked Uniyal for the apology, stressed that every artist deserves to be treated with dignity, called Daler paaji a senior artist who has given the industry an enormous amount, and said everyone should now move forward with mutual respect.
Why it matters
Daler Mehndi turned bhangra into national pop with Bolo Ta Ra Ra in 1995 and later Tunak Tunak Tun, songs that still define Indian party music. The speed with which artists closed ranks behind him shows how seriously the industry now takes the public treatment of performers, especially at government-backed events.
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