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Singers Mika Singh and Harshdeep Kaur, rapper Badshah and actor-comedian Kapil Sharma have come out in defence of Daler Mehndi after Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal interrupted his performance, alleging that the singer was drunk and unable to perform at a cultural event in New Tehri.

Attributing Mehndi’s condition to a recent surgery, and slamming the “public humiliation”, his industry colleagues said respect and kindness should be extended to performing artistes.

The controversy erupted on Sunday night during the annual Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair. A video of the confrontation, which went viral on social media on Monday, showed Uniyal walking onto the stage, questioning Daler Mehndi’s ability to sing, and accusing him of being intoxicated.

On Tuesday, Mika Singh, Mehndi’s younger brother, challenged the allegations and said he would quit singing if anyone could establish that the 59-year-old had been drinking alcohol. He also suggested that Mehndi may have been unwell, citing a recent major surgery.

In a video posted on Instagram, Mika said his brother had been a superstar for three decades and questioned the basis for the allegations about his conduct.

“Have you ever seen a glass of alcohol in his hand, or seen alcohol flowing freely at his birthday parties?” Mika said, adding that sometimes, artistes honour performance commitments even when they are unwell.

“If he was not able to sing, he must have been unwell because he recently underwent a massive surgery,” he said. Mika said even though his brother had asked him not to discuss the surgery publicly, he felt compelled to speak as both a family member and a fan.

Mika also criticised the manner in which Daler Mehndi was confronted on stage, arguing that artistes could agree to perform despite difficult personal circumstances because they had already committed to an event.

Sharing Mika’s video on Instagram, actor-comedian Kapil Sharma posted: “@thedalermehndiofficial paji went through some serious surgery which people don’t know. All we need to do is to be kinder towards others…We don’t know what someone is going through.”

Badshah condemned what he described as the public humiliation of a veteran artiste.

“Daler Mehndi is a Legend. It definitely seems like he was very unwell that day otherwise, when on stage… he not just sings… he roars,” she wrote on social media.

Also Read – Palash Sen, Kapil Sharma back Daler Mehndi amid performance row: ‘Went through serious surgery’

Uniyal said, “If he was not physically fit, he should not have come to the programme. He should not have made the commitment in the first place. You are making a fool of yourself if you are not physically fit, and if you cannot speak properly, you should not have come. He should have maintained the dignity expected of a great artist. Just because you are an artist does not mean you should think people are fools….The money had been paid, first-class tickets had been booked for several people, and hotels had been arranged in India. After the programme, even today I had gotten a few calls to issue a statement saying that he was on medication but I refused to do so.”

The video of the confrontation showed Subodh Uniyal questioning whether Daler Mehndi was singing live or performing to a pre-recorded soundtrack. The minister also invoked the religious significance of Navratri, which coincided with the event, and questioned why the singer had agreed to perform if he could not sing properly.

The Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair is an annual event that combines religious observances, local traditions, and cultural performances.

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