Daler Mehndi event row: Singer's son Gurdeep Mehndi calls the Uttarakhand event controversy very unfortunate, says the entire family is stressed

Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi made headlines after Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal reprimanded him on stage during a cultural evening and questioned his conduct, alleging that he was intoxicated. Several celebrities came out in support of the singer after his brother, Mika Singh, defended him, claiming that Daler never drinks alcohol. Now, days after the incident, the singer's son, Gurdeep Mehndi, has shared his statement on the matter.

What did Daler's son say?

Taking to Instagram, Gurdeep shared a video where he directly addressed the camera and said that this is going to be his stance on the incident over the last few days. He called it ‘very unfortunate’. Gurdeep shared that he was out of India when the incident happened and after that when he asked his father how is he doing, the singer's reply was ‘first class’ and that he is okay. Gurdeep added, “I put that bit in one show and now it has become another talking point. Obviously we are stressed and we as a family together are dealing with it. Thank you to everyone for the support, to the film industry, including my chacha ji, Mika Singh.”

He went on to say, “Continue to shower your love on us in this manner. Please support us. Like Papa says, god takes care of the rest.”

Last Wednesday, Mika took to Instagram to express gratitude to Punjabi and Bollywood celebrities who had supported Daler. He wrote, “Sat Sri Akal, everyone! Thank you so much to all the singers from Bollywood to Punjab, fans, friends, family, and well-wishers for your love and support. My point is simple: Daler Mehndi ji does not drink alcohol, and making such allegations against him is completely wrong.”

What happened at the event?

Singer Daler Mehndi performed at the Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair in New Tehri, Uttarakhand, on Sunday night. He was interrupted mid-performance and reprimanded on stage by Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal. The minister criticised the singer's conduct and said, “You cannot even speak, so how are you going to sing?”, hinting that the singer was intoxicated. The clip subsequently circulated widely on social media.

Later, while speaking to ANI, Subodh explained why he had reprimanded Daler publicly. He said, “He is a big artist. If a big artist doesn't do justice to their art... He seemed disoriented on stage and didn't seem to be able to even keep standing. Besides this, he was only lip-syncing to his songs. I told him that he is a big artist and he should do justice to his art; he had been offered ₹35 lakh to come and perform, but he was not even singing. So, I expressed my resentment."

According to Mika, Daler was frightened and confused by the minister’s behaviour. The singer also shared that both brothers later received a call from Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who assured them that they would always be welcome in the state. Mika said the Chief Minister apologised on behalf of the minister.