Punjabi singer Mika Singh spoke at a press conference on October 23 about how his brother, Daler Mehndi, broke down after the recent incident in Uttarakhand. Daler was in the news after Uttarakhand minister Subodh Uniyal interrupted his performance at an event and reprimanded him for allegedly appearing disoriented on stage.
‘He broke down crying’
Mika was among the first celebrities to speak out against the minister’s remarks following the incident. Speaking at a recent press conference, the singer said he learnt about the controversy after completing his show in Surat. He tried calling Daler that night, but his brother did not answer.
Mika managed to speak to him the next day and recalled that Daler broke down on the phone. He also said he advised his brother not to accept performance offers if he was unwell. Mika added that Daler should have stood up for himself on stage.
“When I called Paaji the next day, he broke down crying because he was emotional. I hadn’t even said anything, and he had already started crying. I told him that if your health is not good, you should not say yes. Secondly, if the minister scolded you, you should have responded at that moment. You should have said, ‘I have not been bought, and I am not some other singer,’” Mika said, as reported by India Today.
‘Uttarakhand CM apologised on behalf of the minister’
According to Mika, Daler was frightened and confused by the minister’s behaviour. The singer also shared that both brothers later received a call from Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who assured them that they would always be welcome in the state. Mika said the Chief Minister apologised on behalf of the minister.
“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. The way he communicated with Daler paaji and me was very polite and humble. He offered an apology on behalf of the Minister. Though I told him it wasn’t necessary since he made no mistake but he assured me that I and Daler Paaji will be treated with utmost respect, the next time we visit Uttarakhand,” Mika added.
What was the incident?
Daler Mehndi was performing at an event in Uttarakhand when minister Subodh Uniyal interrupted him mid-performance and reprimanded him for allegedly appearing disoriented on stage. “You can’t even speak. How will you perform?” the minister asked Mehndi. Later, while speaking to ANI, the minister said the organisers had paid the singer ₹35 lakh for the performance.
Daler has not publicly commented on the incident so far. Mika, along with several other celebrities, has shared videos on social media expressing support for the singer.