Mika Singh Defends Brother Daler Mehndi After Stage Interruption

Popular Punjabi pop singer Daler Mehndi has become the centre of controversy after Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal interrupted his performance at the Siddhapeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair in Tehri district on October 18. The event, organised by the Uttarakhand government, saw the minister walk onto the stage and ask the singer to stop performing, alleging that he appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and was not singing live. A video of the incident subsequently went viral on social media. However, no publicly available test results or independent evidence have established the minister’s allegations. Daler Mehndi reportedly responded calmly, folded his hands and asked the minister to step down, after which the performance continued.

The allegations were strongly rejected by Daler Mehndi’s younger brother, singer Mika Singh, who said Daler was recovering from a major surgery but had still travelled to honour his professional commitment. Mika challenged anyone claiming that his brother consumed alcohol to prove the allegation, while acknowledging that organisers and audiences could question the quality of a performance. Actor Anupam Kher also expressed concern over the public handling of the incident, saying any complaint could have been raised privately and respectfully. Congress leader Amarjit Singh reportedly supported the account that Daler had travelled despite his recovery. Daler himself had not issued a public statement at the time described in the supplied report. The controversy has reignited debate about artists’ dignity, event management and the need to distinguish allegations from established facts.