Singers Sukhwinder Singh and Kailash Kher were the leading acts of the performance in the Capital.
New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government may have to shell out more than Rs 80 lakh for just two singers — Sukhwinder Singh and Kailash Kher — who performed at the ‘Surgical Strikes Day’ celebrations on the lawns of New Delhi’s India Gate over the weekend.
The figure is a conservative estimate based on the fees that the two performers had quoted. The government is yet to release the full payments to them.
While Singh had quoted Rs 35.49 lakh for the event, Kher had quoted Rs 45.25 lakh. The amounts include charges for their team, travel, boarding, lodging as well as the creative agency fee.
Also read: Modi govt has turned surgical strikes into a shareable post for a selfie stick generation
According to sources, the Bureau of Outreach Communication (BoC) — a body of media units under the Information and Broadcasting Ministry — had engaged PSU National Film Development Corporation of India to get the two singers on board for the event through the empanelled agency B4U Broadband India Pvt Ltd.
There was no response from the Information and Broadcasting ministry spokesperson for a request for comment from ThePrint until the time of publishing this report. The report will be updated when the ministry responds.
Other expenditure involved
Besides, the Modi government had also incurred other expenditure over the three-day-long celebrations held across 54 cities in the country. The exact amount, however, is still being ascertained.
Friday onwards, the government had organised country-wide exhibitions displaying weapons used by the Indian armed forces and those captured from enemy forces.
At the venues, huge screens were put up, which played interviews of Indian Army personnel involved in the 2016 surgical strikes operation. There were also digital screens for visitors to write messages, along with photos of martyrs and their contribution.
The ‘Parakram Parv’ celebrations are the first such of the 2016 cross-border strikes, in which special forces teams hit terror launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The strikes were not celebrated last year.
Lukewarm response in Delhi
The India Gate event, however, drew lukewarm response, with sparse footfall across the three days, despite heavy publicity by the Central government.
While the hot September afternoons saw a low turnout, the live performances in the evenings did see relatively better crowds. The event was covered by All India Radio and Doordarshan, while private radio channels were also engaged for coverage.
Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman took to private radio channels to urge people to attend the events. The official invite from the Press Information Bureau encouraged visitors to take selfies at the venue.
“We showed for the cowardly act of killing (that) India shall not sit and watch the whole thing. We proved to them (terrorists) that it (their acts) shall not go unpunished,” Sitharaman said while inaugurating the event Friday evening.
Also read: Any hint of detection and we would’ve called off surgical strikes: Retd Indian Army general
The event had drawn criticism from across serving and retired officials of the armed forces, who said the forces were being politicised in the wake of the general elections next year.
BJP had no worthwhile achievements to show. Firing from the shoulders of soldiers for whom they have otherwise done nothing. Bloody sad.
Prof PK Sharma, Freelance Journalist,Barnala (Punjab)
Cutting a sorry figure on various other fronts, BJP for want of issues, to go in for face saving found this suitable one to utilise as a cover up !
Sans any doubt, a non-issue was projected as an issue worthy of celebrations for scoring browny points !
The act of politicising defence forces in wake of polls drawing near is certainly not a good precedent but on the contrary it reflects hollowness on the part of the ruling dispensation !
The nation is facing the music on a large number of fronts ! That is why this energy and time should have been utilised for addressing and resolving sensitive riddles, subjects and themes troubling and tormenting the nation for pretty long a period !
Sheer frittering away of human resources , time and energies – EXERCISE – to distract public attention from the burning problems of the day !
For how long time can be marked like this escaping harsh realities and complexities of the nation on ground ?
Prof PK Sharma, Freelance Journalist
Pom Anm Nest,Barnala (Punjab)
It would have been a good investment to have appointed a first rate professional as Media Advisor at the outset. Also to take a contingent of fifteen or so journalists on each foreign visit. The model of one way communication through Twitter and other similar means could sustain itself only during the honeymoon period. Senior functionaries disdained and disparaged media professionals, although they have been exceptionally courteous and patient. Now, when times have changed, a difficult election looms, issues of contention and controversy have arisen, the communication strategy is being shown up as inadequate.