Arijit Singh's concert in Kolkata cancelled, BJP says the reason is...

Amid BJP's allegations that Arijit Singh's concert at Eco Park has been cancelled because he sang ‘Rang de tu mohe gerua’ in front of chief minister Mamata Banerjee at Kolkata film festival, the government clarified the concert would have clashed with G-20 events.

Singer Arjit Singh is at the centre of a fresh controversy to which the BJP has added a political colour after his scheduled concert in Kolkata got cancelled by a government body. BJP's Amit Malviya said this was because Arijit Singh sang 'Rang de tu mohe gerua', his famous song in front of chief minister Mamata Banerjee at the inauguration of the Kolkata International Film Festival. The song is from Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Dilwale and is one of Arijit's most popular ones. And it was one of the songs that he performed at the KIFF apart from his famous Bengali songs.

Arijit Singh's Eco Park show has been cancelled as it would be clashing with G-20 events, the government said.

Watch: ‘Mamata punishing Arijit’: BJP draws ‘Gerua’ gig link to singer’s cancelled Kolkata concert

West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim said the permission for Arijit Singh's event was not granted as a G-20 event is also scheduled at the same area. "The event marking India's G-20 presidency will take place at the convention hall just opposite the Eco Park (the venue where Arijit Singh's concert was supposed to take place). Several foreign dignitaries are likely to attend that event," Firhad Hakim said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

"Huge crowds would have gathered for Arijit Singh's show and it would have been difficult to handle. The police felt that conducting such a big event could result in a law and order problem," the minister added.

Arijit Singh's concert was scheduled to be held on February 18 but now the government body said the show has to be shifted to somewhere else. Reports said a show of Salman Khan is also scheduled to be held at the same venue on January 20.

BJP's Amit Malviya alleged Arijit Singh's show got cancelled as he sang 'Gerua' in front of Mamata Banerjee. "Sr Bachchan was on dot when he spoke about shrinking space for civil liberties and freedom of expression at the Kolkata Film Festival. Arijit Singh who sang “Rang de tu mohe gerua”, with Mamata Banerjee on the dais now finds his show at EcoPark cancelled by HIDCO, a WB Govt body," Malviya tweeted.

A similar controversy broke out after Mithun Chakraborty-starrer Projapoti, a Bengali movie, did not get released at Nandan, the prestigious government-run theatre. As BJP claimed the decision was because of BJP's Mithun Chakraborty, the movie also starred Trinamool MP Dev.