Uttarakhand Minister Subodh Uniyal defends stage confrontation with Daler Mehndi

A controversy continues in Uttarakhand following a public confrontation between Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal and singer Daler Mehndi during a Navratri event in Tehri. The dispute began when Uniyal alleged that Mehndi appeared intoxicated and disoriented on stage despite receiving a 36 lakh rupee performance fee.

Minister Uniyal has defended his actions, stating that if the singer was unwell, he should have informed the organizers or the audience beforehand. Uniyal declined to apologize, maintaining that the singer's professional responsibility included communicating any health issues that might affect his performance.

In response, singer Mika Singh has strongly criticized the minister's behavior, calling it disrespectful to a distinguished artist. Singh revealed that Mehndi stepped in to perform at the last minute after Sunanda Sharma cancelled her appearance. Mehndi's son, Gurdeep Mehndi, described the incident as “very hurtful and unfortunate” for the family, though he noted that his father remains in good spirits.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has intervened by speaking with Mehndi to inquire about his well-being, emphasizing the state's tradition of respecting artists and attempting to resolve the misunderstanding.