'He Is Suffering': Rajpal Yadav Calls Out Minister For Criticising Daler Mehndi On Stage

Actor Rajpal Yadav has come out in support of singer Daler Mehndi after Uttarakhand cabinet minister Subodh Uniyal criticised him on stage during a cultural event. Rajpal said the minister's language towards the veteran singer was inappropriate and that an artist should be treated with respect.

Rajpal shared a video on Instagram in which he defended Daler Mehndi and spoke about his health. He said he had worked with the singer on Welcome To The Jungle and that Daler was dealing with health issues. He also clarified that the singer does not drink alcohol.

"As a student of art, I want to share something with you. The way a respected minister said hurtful things and used indecent language against a legendary singer whose voice has touched people for decades, does not suit someone holding such a position," he said.

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A post shared by Rajpal Naurang Yadav (@rajpalofficial)

"It seemed like you bought the art itself, which simply cannot be bought. Art is life, and you should respect life. And for your information, I will tell you that Daler Paaji does not drink alcohol. I have worked with him in Welcome To The Jungle," Rajpal said. 

Rajpal further added, "Daler is suffering from ill health, and people are trying to help him recover. The throne may come and go, but art will always hold a higher place, so you should respect it. God bless you."

The controversy began on Sunday night during a cultural programme at the Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair in New Tehri, Uttarakhand.

During Daler Mehndi's performance, minister Subodh Uniyal interrupted the singer and questioned his conduct on stage. The minister reportedly said, "You cannot even speak, so how are you going to sing?" He hinted that Daler is intoxicated.

"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," he said.

Speaking to news agency ANI later, Uniyal said Daler Mehndi had been paid Rs 35 lakh for the performance. He claimed that the singer appeared disoriented, struggled to stand and was lip-syncing instead of singing live.

"I told him that he is a big artist and he should do justice to his art. He had been offered Rs 35 lakh to come and perform, but he was not even singing. So, I expressed my resentment," he added.

Following the incident, several members of the film and music industries supported Daler Mehndi and criticised the way the minister spoke to him in public.

Anupam Kher and Kapil Sharma, along with singers Badshah and Mika Singh, were among those who expressed support for Daler Mehndi.