Subodh Uniyal, a Cabinet Minister in Uttarakhand, has said he will not apologise to Daler Mehndi for their public showdown at the Kunjapuri Mela. In his latest remarks, Uniyal insisted he had not done anything wrong and wondered why he should say sorry. This follows claims from Mika Singh’s team that the minister had already apologised to Mehndi during a phone call.
Subodh Uniyal refuses to apologise to Daler Mehndi
In an interview with Satya Vani, Uniyal was asked if he had said sorry to Mehndi after the confrontation. He brushed the idea aside, stating, “Mera maafi maangne ka prashn hi nahi hai” (There is no question of me apologising). The minister went on to ask whether he had done anything that warranted an apology. “Ye batao, maine koi apradh kiya hai jo maafi maangu?” (Tell me, have I committed any crime that I should apologise?), he said.Uniyal contended that if Mehndi was unwell, he ought to have told the organisers and the audience. According to the minister, the singer should either have turned down the performance or informed people about his health before going on stage. “Agar tabiyat kharab thi toh nahi aana chahiye tha. Agar aaye bhi the, toh janta ko bata dete ki tabiyat kharab hai” (If he was unwell, he should not have come. Even if he did come, he should have informed the audience that he was unwell).Uniyal also raised the question of who was actually to blame. “Main kehta hoon, apradhi kaun hai?” (I ask, who is the one at fault?), he said. In his view, whoever made the mistake should be the one to apologise. Taking a dig at Mehndi, the minister alleged that the singer let the audience down even after being paid for the show. “Apradh kiya hai Rs. 26 lakh le kar ke janta ki jo umeedein thi, unpe paani pherne ka inhone” (The wrongdoing was taking Rs. 26 lakh and dashing the expectations of the public). Uniyal also voiced his unhappiness over reports that he had apologised to Mehndi, insisting he saw no reason to say sorry to the singer.
Mika Singh’s team on Subodh Uniyal’s apology to Daler Mehndi
According to NDTV, Mika Singh’s team confirmed Uniyal had apologised to Mehndi over a phone call, following the row over the singer’s interrupted performance at the Kunjapuri Mela. In a statement welcoming the reported apology, the team said, “We appreciate that Subodh Uniyal ji has apologised to Daler Mehndi paaji over a telephonic conversation regarding the unfortunate incident.” The statement also underlined the importance of respecting artists and their dignity, and expressed hope that the controversy could now be laid to rest.
Daler Mehndi row at Kunjapuri Mela: what we know so far
The row began when Daler Mehndi’s performance at the Kunjapuri Mela was cut short, leading to a public face-off between the singer and Uttarakhand minister Subodh Uniyal. At the heart of the dispute are the show itself, what the audience expected and who should be held accountable. Uniyal has faulted Mehndi for not telling the crowd if he was unwell, while Mika Singh’s team maintains that the minister apologised to the singer after the incident.
