Daler Mehndi event row: Mika Singh asks minister Subodh Uniyal if he wants artists to stop coming to Uttarakhand

The controversy centres on a public confrontation between Uttarakhand cabinet minister Subodh Uniyal and singer Daler Mehndi during a Navratri event.

Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi made headlines after Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal reprimanded him on stage during a cultural evening and questioned his conduct, alleging that he was intoxicated. Mika Singh has called on Uttarakhand minister Subodh Uniyal to apologise. In a new post on X, Mika asked the state cabinet minister Subodh Uniyal if he wants artists to not come to Uttarakhand.

What Mika Singh shared

Daler Mehndi has received support from fellow singer Mika Singh after the event.

Mika pointed out that the minister has still not apologised for his comments on a public platform. He went on to add in the caption, “The way Minister @SubodhUniyal1 ji spoke on stage was extremely rude and disrespectful. An artist deserves dignity, regardless of the circumstances. He reportedly said on stage, “Yahan aapse pehle @manindarbuttar pit ke gaya tha. Itna pita tha ki ab uska baap bhi nahi aa sakta yahan se (Before you, someone got beaten up here and in such a way that even his father cannot come here again).””

Please remember that the people have given you the position you hold today. Public office comes with responsibility, humility, and accountability. I have immense love and respect for Uttarakhand, but artists deserve respect too. I sincerely hope you will reflect on your words and address this matter with dignity."

What is the context

Singer Daler Mehndi performed at the Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair in New Tehri, Uttarakhand, on Sunday night. He was interrupted mid-performance and reprimanded on stage by Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal. The minister criticised the singer's conduct and said, “You cannot even speak, so how are you going to sing?”, hinting that the singer was intoxicated. The clip subsequently circulated widely on social media.

Later, while speaking to ANI, Subodh explained why he had reprimanded Daler publicly. He said, “He is a big artist. If a big artist doesn't do justice to their art... He seemed disoriented on stage and didn't seem to be able to even keep standing. Besides this, he was only lip-syncing to his songs. I told him that he is a big artist and he should do justice to his art; he had been offered ₹35 lakh to come and perform, but he was not even singing. So, I expressed my resentment."