A live performance by popular Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi at the Kunjapuri Mela in Tehri, Uttarakhand, took an unexpected turn when state Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal walked onto the stage and confronted the singer during the programme.
According to reports, the cultural event was recently organised during Navratri. Uniyal reportedly objected to the singer’s conduct and stressed that the religious occasion called for respect and decorum.
Addressing Mehndi in a stern tone in Hindi, the minister said, “You can’t even speak properly, so how will you sing?”
"Itna paisa deke aapko humne bulaya hai. Iss liye bulaya taaki humare logon ko entertain ho. Aap bewakoof bana rahe hai humein. Galat baat hai. You are a big name. Aapko iss liye bulaya gaya tha kyunki aap bada naam hai," the minister is heard saying in the video.
Subodh Uniyal's video goes viral
The minister also reminded the singer that the event was linked to the worship of Goddess Durga and should be treated with the respect it deserved. His intervention disrupted the ongoing concert and led to a commotion at the venue.
The now-viral video from the event shows Daler Mehndi folding his hands and requesting the minister to step down from the stage after he reprimanded him. However, the singer’s exact words in the video are unclear.
According to local residents, Uniyal stepped in because Mehndi was allegedly performing under the influence of alcohol. However, the allegation remains unverified, with no independent or official confirmation available to establish whether the singer was intoxicated.
It is also said that the singer was lip-syncing to his songs and not singing himself.
Mehdi has not reacted to the incident yet.
