Ghulam Ali performs in Kerala as Shiv Sena activists protest

Ghulam Ali performed in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday. The Shiv Sena protested insisting that there should be no contact with Pakistan before it took action against Pathankot attackers.

Pakistani ghazal legend Ghulam Ali on Friday enthralled music lovers in Kerala as Shiv Sena activists protested outside the venue. The 75-year-old maestro, who is in on his maiden visit to the God’s Own Country, mesmerised the audience at the Nishagandhi Auditorium in the city late Friday evening with his popular numbers .

Renowned Pakistani ghazal singer Ghulam Ali performed in Kolkata and Thiruvananthapuram in Jan 2016 despite protests in Kerala. (Ajay Aggarwal/ HT)

He was accompanied by famed ghazal singer Pandit Vishwanath and son Aamir Ali. More than the 5000 strong music lovers enjoyed the evening with applause. Ali began by singing his famous number Chup ke Chup ke from the Bollywood movie Nikah along with Aamir.

Read: Ghulam Ali thanks Mamata for ending ‘udasi ka din’, performs in Kolkata

Sena activists, who had demanded cancellation of the concert in the wake of the Pathankot terror strike, were stopped nearby the venue by the police.

Water cannons were used to disperse around 200 Sena activists, who also burnt a Pakistan flag as a mark of protest, police said.

Ali, whose concert in Mumbai had to be cancelled last year following protests by the Sena, was accorded a public reception on Thursday, which was attended by a galaxy of state leaders including Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

Ali is also scheduled to perform in Kozhikode district on January 17. He is in Kerala on an invitation by socio-cultural organisation ‘Swaralaya’ and the programmes were arranged in association with Grand Kerala Shopping Festival Directorate.