Singer Mika Singh has said that his elder brother, Daler Mehndi, wants to end the controversy surrounding his interrupted performance at a religious event in Uttarakhand. This development follows an apology from Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on behalf of state minister Subodh Uniyal. Mika said Daler Mehndi contacted him on Friday morning and asked him not to prolong the matter. The Chief Minister has also invited the brothers to visit Uttarakhand and perform there.Talking to IANS, Mika discussed the apology, his brother’s emotional response and the support they received from the entertainment industry. He also raised questions about how artists should be treated during public performances.
Mika Singh says Daler Mehndi wants to close the controversy
Mika Singh addressed the issue at a press conference, where he spoke about his conversation with Pushkar Singh Dhami. He described the Chief Minister’s approach as respectful and said the apology was offered on behalf of Subodh Uniyal. Mika added that he had told the Chief Minister that an apology was unnecessary from his perspective.“Just this morning, I spoke with my elder brother, dear friend, and someone I hold in high regard, the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami. Whenever I visit Dehradun, he meets me with great warmth and is extremely down-to-earth. The way he communicated with Daler Paaji and me was very polite and humble. He offered an apology on behalf of the Minister, and though I told him it wasn’t necessary since he made no mistake. “
Mika Singh recalls Daler Mehndi’s emotional reaction
Mika said he took time to decide how to respond after the incident involving his brother. He eventually recorded a video addressing the situation. During their next conversation, Daler Mehndi became emotional, leaving Mika surprised by his reaction.“The problem is that this happened to my brother, who is completely innocent and did nothing wrong. What was I supposed to do-if I kept making video statements back-to-back, people would say this is all I do. However, I carefully thought it through and recorded a video at night, and when I called Paaji the next day, he broke down crying because he was emotional. On top of that, I can be quite straightforward and tend to scold him for agreeing to things, but before I could even say anything, he started crying like a child. ..”Mika expressed gratitude to members of the film and music industries, along with fans who stood by Daler Mehndi after the incident. He said the support followed the circulation of his video about the controversy.“I want to express my deepest gratitude to the entire Bollywood industry, the people of Punjab, and all of Daler Paaji’s fans for the immense support shown after watching the video where he was scolded.”Mika said he was uncomfortable seeing Daler Mehndi reprimanded publicly. He compared the situation with the criticism that can arise when someone is scolded in public, including in schools and colleges.“It felt very wrong to see Daler Paaji spoken to in that manner, as reprimanding someone publicly nowadays-whether at school or college-sparks widespread controversy. Even during my 23 years of struggle, no one ever scolded me like that, except once in my childhood at a wedding when I ate before the guests arrived, which was my mistake.”
What happened at the Uttarakhand event ?
The dispute began when Daler Mehndi’s performance at the Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair in Uttarakhand was stopped midway by state minister Subodh Uniyal. The minister alleged that the singer was under the influence of alcohol and lip-syncing during the Navratri event.Several entertainment personalities, including Mika Singh, Palash Sen, Kapil Sharma, Ila Arun, Anupam Kher and Sudesh Lehri, subsequently voiced support for Daler Mehndi. Following Pushkar Singh Dhami’s apology, Mika has indicated that his brother does not want the issue to continue.