Won’t allow Ghulam Ali to perform in Delhi: Shiv Sena
Atul Mathur | The Hindu | New Delhi | Oct 15, 2015:: After forcing the organisers to cancel the Ghulam Ali concert in Mumbai and Pune early this month, a defiant Shiv Sena said the party will not let the Pakistani ghazal maestro perform in the Capital.
The announcement came a day after Delhi tourism minister Kapil Mishra told The Hindu that the veteran Ghazal sensation will perform in New Delhi on November 8.
Delhi Shiv Sena president Om Dutt Sharma told The Hindu on Thursday that his party will not let the event take place in Delhi.
“We are against any Pakistani artist come and perform in India. We will not let the Delhi government organise his show in the Capital. We will take our protest to the streets,” Mr Sharma said.
Accordingly to Delhi government officials, Mr. Ali is scheduled to perform at the Siri Fort Auditorium as part of a joint venture between the Delhi government and a prominent Hindi publication.
The Delhi government had invited the renowned ghazal singer to perform in Delhi after his show in Mumbai was cancelled due to threats from the Shiv Sena.
The singer, who has a vast fan base in India, was scheduled to perform in Mumbai and Pune as a tribute to the late ghazal singer Jagjit Singh on his death anniversary.
AAP to deploy its ‘army’ for Ghulam Ali’s concert in Delhi
PTI | New Delhi | Oct 15, 2015:: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will deploy its “army of workers”, if necessary, to ensure that ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali’s concert goes well in the national capital, senior party Sanjay Singh said on Thursday.
He, however, said that the primary responsibility of ensuring law and order and that the show is held without any disruption, lies with the Delhi Police.
The renowned Pakistani artiste is set to perform in Delhi on November 8.
“In Maharashtra, there is BJP’s police under Devendra Fadnavis, and in Delhi it is Modi’s police and the home ministry under Rajnath Singh which is looking after Delhi’s security. If need arises, we will deploy our army of party workers to ensure that the programme goes fine. We will not allow any kind of disruption in the event,” Sanjay Singh said.
The AAP leader’s comments came after Shiv Sena reportedly threatened to disrupt the maestro’s show in Delhi. The Sena had forced the cancellation of Ali’s concert in Mumbai and Pune last week, sparking an uproar with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling it “sad and undesirable”.
Following the cancellation of Ali’s concert in Mumbai, the Delhi government had approached him to perform in Delhi, to which the ghazal maestro responded positively.
Postscript by Hindu Existence: The hard confronting situation between Shiv Sena, Delhi Unit and the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi is generating high tension in the capital. While patriotic Hindu outfits, even cadres from BJP may join the protest in favor of Shiv Sena against Ghulam Ali concert, the Muslim fanatics may attack the Hindu protesters from the backdrop of AAP provocations. The situation for Nov 9th around and beyond Siri Fort Auditorium (the proposed venue for Ghulam Ali concert) may run out of control. Most probably, Shiv Sainiks and Aam Aadmi Army will clash each other on the day Ghulam Ali concert on Nov 8, in the Capital. And the consequences will be very unfortunate.
Courtesy: The Hindu | PTI | Sankhnaad.