"Average Kashmiri Has Moved On": Amit Malviya After NDTV Srinagar Concert

Senior BJP leader Amit Malviya has praised the NDTV Good Times musical concert held in Srinagar, calling it a "spectacular" success that went ahead despite boycott calls and showed the spirit of a "new Kashmir."

"NDTV Good Times pulled off a spectacular musical concert in Kashmir - despite boycott calls from radical clerics. What stood out was the impressive turnout, including young women in hijab, who came to celebrate music and freedom," Malviya, who heads the BJP's IT cell, wrote on X.

NDTV Good Times pulled off a spectacular musical concert in Kashmir — despite boycott calls from radical clerics. What stood out was the impressive turnout, including young women in hijab, who came to celebrate music and freedom.

The tragic irony? Chief Minister Omar Abdullah… pic.twitter.com/FcOLgVe4QW

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) October 26, 2025

Malviya's remarks came a day after the NDTV Good Times 'Music and Freedom' concert held on October 26, at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) by the Dal Lake in Srinagar. The event was the first large-scale concert in the Valley since the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.

Malviya also pointed to a "tragic irony," saying that Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stayed away from the concert, "perhaps fearing backlash from radical elements".

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Farooq Abdullah also skipped the event, due to what Malviya called him "sticking to his old political playbook for Kashmir."

"It's clear now - the average Kashmiri has moved on," Malviya said. "They seek peace, progress, and a life beyond conflict. But the politicians remain trapped in outdated, rigid politics, unable to reinvent themselves. They must read the writing on the wall - it's time to lead the change, not resist it.

"The radicals are losing the battle of minds. Naya Kashmir, driven by its youth, is winning," he added.

The Sunday concert brought together national and local artists. Bollywood singer Sonu Nigam headlined the event, performing a tribute to singer Mohammed Rafi.

During the event, Nigam paused his performance for the Azaan (call to prayer) for which he received appreciation from the crowd.

Singer Qazi Touqeer, known for winning Fame Gurukul in 2005, opened the show and at one point did push-ups on stage while singing Yeh Dil Deewana. Rauhan Malik, another Kashmiri performer, presented his original songs.