Mumbai: Singer Mika Singh has challenged those who accused singer-songwriter Daler Mehndi of performing under the influence of alcohol in Uttarakhand.
“If you ever see Daler Mehndi drinking alcohol, I’ll quit singing,” Mila said in a reel posted Tuesday.
The controversy began when Mehndi was interrupted mid-performance by Uttarakhand Cabinet minister Subodh Uniyal on Monday, who accused him of performing after consuming alcohol.
The 59-year-old singer was performing at the annual Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair in Uttarakhand’s Tehri district. A video from the event has gone viral, allegedly showing Uniyal confronting the singer during the cultural programme held in Narendra Nagar.
“Bol toh jaa nahi raha, gaana kya gaoge? (You can’t even speak, so how are you going to sing?)” Uniyal can be heard saying in the clip.
Uniyal questions the purpose of inviting the singer if he could not perform as expected. He highlights that the programme is being held during Navratri and is associated with the worship of goddess Durga.
“We have given so much money and called you for the entertainment of people, and you are fooling us. You have a big name, that’s why you were called here,” Uniyal adds.
In the video, Mehndi can be seen requesting the minister to leave the stage.
“Sir, I request you with folded hands… please leave the stage,” he says.
‘I know my brother’
In his recent reel, Mika has questioned the allegations and urged the media to verify facts before publishing reports that could damage an artist’s reputation.
“First of all, I would like to ask you all—he has been a superstar for the last 30 years. Have you ever seen a glass of alcohol in his hand, or seen alcohol flowing freely at his birthday parties?” Mika added.
Mika also questioned the way Mehndi was treated on stage and drew a comparison with international performers, asking whether the same behaviour would be directed toward a band such as Coldplay.
“I know my brother Daler Mehndi, and he does not drink alcohol. He has been unwell for the past two years and is still recovering, yet he continues to perform with his band,” he said.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)
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