It all kicked off on the night of 18 October at the Kunjapuri fair in New Tehri. Daler Mehndi was on stage performing when Uttarakhand minister Subodh Uniyal walked up, grabbed the mic and started questioning him right there in front of everyone.
Uniyal said the singer did not look right, was not singing properly and seemed under the influence. He also pointed out that a good amount of money had been paid for the show — some reports said around 26 to 35 lakh — and the crowd had come expecting a proper performance, especially during Navratri.
The video of the moment went viral almost immediately.
Daler’s brother Mika Singh did not stay quiet. He came out strongly in support, saying his brother was unwell that day and does not drink at all. Mika felt it was wrong to confront a senior artist like that on a public stage. He also asked for proof of the payment claims and said artists deserve basic respect.
A few days later, on 25 October, Mika’s team put out a statement saying the minister had called and apologised to Daler over the phone. They welcomed it and said they hoped the matter could now be closed.
But today, 27 October, Subodh Uniyal has flatly denied that. He told reporters there is no question of him apologising. “Have I committed any crime?” he asked. According to him, he only spoke up because the audience was being let down. If the singer was not feeling well, he should have told the organisers in advance instead of taking the fee and then struggling on stage.
The minister has stuck to his position from the beginning. He says he had nothing personal against Daler Mehndi but felt responsible as the local representative. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has spoken to both sides and tried to cool things down, but the gap between what Mika’s team claims and what Uniyal is saying remains wide open.
The whole episode has left people talking about how artists are treated at government events and how public money is spent on performances. Some feel a big name like Daler should not have been pulled up so publicly. Others feel the minister had every right to question what the crowd was getting.
For now, the two sides are still not on the same page. Uniyal is not backing down, and Mika’s side is holding on to their version of the phone call. The story that began with a few tense minutes on stage in Tehri is still running.
Sources: Statements from Subodh Uniyal, Mika Singh’s team, and reports from Indian Express, Hindustan Times, India Today, Telegraph India and other coverage of the 18 October incident and the developments that followed.
@Rohit Manral
