Daler Mehndi Row: Mika Singh Says CM Dhami Apologised

A Navratri stage show in Uttarakhand has turned into a political apology, with Daler Mehndi at the centre of a controversy he has not yet addressed. On Friday evening, his brother Mika Singh met the press and offered the family’s side.

Mika said the situation moved from heated to conciliatory after a phone call from Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.

A phone call from the CM

Mika Singh told reporters that Dhami apologised on behalf of MLA Subodh Uniyal, the leader who alleged that Daler performed drunk at the Kunjapuri Mela in Narendra Nagar, Tehri.

“He offered an apology on behalf of the Minister,” Mika said. The singer added that he told the CM it wasn’t necessary because Dhami had made no mistake. The assurance, he said, was that both he and Daler Paaji would be treated with “utmost respect” the next time they visited Uttarakhand.

Where the controversy began

The row started after a video from the Navratri performance circulated online. Subodh Uniyal, who was at the event, objected to Daler’s apparent condition. His argument was that appearing on stage under the influence would be inappropriate at a gathering dedicated to Goddess Durga.

Mika has strongly rejected that reading. He said the veteran singer had been recovering from a major surgery and still turned up to honour the commitment. He went further: he would quit music if anyone could prove that his brother consumes alcohol.

• Daler Mehndi performed at the Kunjapuri Mela in Uttarakhand.
• MLA Subodh Uniyal accused him of being intoxicated on stage.
• Mika Singh says his brother was unwell after surgery, not drunk.
• CM Pushkar Singh Dhami apologised on the minister’s behalf, Mika told the press.

What is at stake

For an artist with a three-decade career, a public intoxication allegation at a Navratri event is not a small claim. It combines respectability, religious sentiment and professional conduct in one accusation.

Mika acknowledged that the minister had a right to question the quality of the performance, since public money pays for such events, but maintained that the drunkenness claim was false. It is a small but useful line: criticising a show is fair, while questioning an artist’s character is a much heavier charge.

Who has spoken, and who hasn’t

Anupam Kher, Badshah and Kapil Sharma have publicly supported Daler Mehndi. The CM has called, according to Mika. The one voice missing is Daler Mehndi himself, who has not yet issued a statement.

For fans, the next update will be telling. If Daler speaks, it could settle the conversation; if he stays quiet, the support and apology may do the talking for now.

Source: India Today