A day after Daler Mehndi was ‘kicked’ on stage by an Uttarakhand cabinet minister for allegedly drinking before a performance, his brother Mika Singh came to his defense and challenged that if Daler Mehndi was ever seen drinking, he would quit singing. Mika Singh shared a video message on her Instagram feed, slamming media reports that claimed the singer was caught on stage drinking alcohol.
The video was accompanied by a message that read, “If you ever see Daler Mehndi drinking alcohol, I will quit singing.”
“I saw the news. You guys spread that ‘Daler was drunk while singing mehndi, he is unable to sing’ First of all, I want to ask you all- he has been a superstar for the past 30 years. Have you ever seen a glass of liquor in his hand, or alcohol flowing freely at his birthday parties?” Mika said.
Even if we have a 104 degree fever, it doesn’t matter. If I’m sick, and I have a show after tomorrow, and I’m already committed, whether the budget is big or small, I’ll do it. He (Daler) would have done it too.” (No, you didn’t. If you haven’t seen it yourself, how can you say he was unable to stand? As performers, we often agree to perform at someone’s request and say, ‘Yes, we’ll do the show.’ It doesn’t matter if we have a 104-degree fever and I’m committed to doing the show the day after tomorrow, but I’ll do it in advance. Honor that commitment.” Whether the budget is big or small, he (Daler Mehndi) would have done the same.”) he added.
For the caption, Mika Singh wrote, “Happy Dussehra, everyone! Special request to our media friends: Please check the facts before publishing any news! If someone makes an allegation without proof, please don’t blindly believe him or spread the news without checking the truth. The way Daler Mehndi was treated on stage was disappointing. But a respected minister did such a thing before he even drank alcohol on stage. Moved and issued a statement about all the Ministers claims, should we not verify the facts and give the artist a chance to present his case?
“Would anyone dare to treat an international band like Coldplay like this? I know my brother Daler Mehndi, and he doesn’t drink alcohol. He has been sick for the past two years and is still recovering, yet he continues to perform with his band. Many artists these days use backing tracks, but no one questions them in the same way.”
The singer added, “Daler Mehndi is one of India’s biggest superstars, and perhaps that’s why he becomes an easy target. I request my media friends to be responsible and fair. A headline can damage one’s reputation, so please check the facts before publishing anything. Respect our artists. Verify before reporting. Stand by the truth.”
On October 18, Daler Mehndi was performing at the Kunjapuri Mela in Tehri district of Uttarakhand, a major cultural event held as part of Navratri celebrations.
During the performance, Uttarakhand cabinet minister and local MLA Subodh Unyal walked on stage, stopped the singer and scolded him in front of the audience. Unyal asked Daler Mehndi to stop his performance, alleging that the singer went on stage drunk at an event held in honor of Maa Durga.