Singer Mika Singh has said that his elder brother, Daler Mehndi, wants to put the recent Uttarakhand controversy behind him after Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami apologised on behalf of state minister Subodh Uniyal. The controversy erupted after Uniyal accused Daler of performing under the influence of alcohol at a Navratri event.
Speaking to IANS, Mika revealed that Chief Minister Dhami had apologised to him on behalf of the minister. He also said that Daler called him on Friday morning and asked him not to let the matter escalate further.
Mika added that Dhami had invited both brothers to Uttarakhand and that they would visit the state soon to perform.
During a press conference, Mika spoke about his conversation with the chief minister and expressed his gratitude for the support extended to Daler by the Bollywood industry and fans.
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“Just this morning, I spoke with my elder brother, dear friend, and someone I hold in high regard, the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami. Whenever I visit Dehradun, he meets me with great warmth and is extremely down-to-earth. The way he communicated with Daler Paaji and me was very polite and humble,” Mika said.
He added, “He offered an apology on behalf of the Minister, and though I told him it wasn't necessary since he made no mistake.”
Mika Singh Reveals Daler Mehndi Broke Down While Speaking To Him
Mika also opened up about Daler's emotional reaction to the controversy, revealing that his elder brother broke down while speaking to him after the incident.
“The problem is that this happened to my brother, who is completely innocent and did nothing wrong. What was I supposed to do—if I kept making video statements back-to-back, people would say this is all I do. However, I carefully thought it through and recorded a video at night, and when I called Paaji the next day, he broke down crying because he was emotional,” he said.
Mika further explained that he often scolds his elder brother for agreeing to things without thinking them through. He said, “On top of that, I can be quite straightforward and tend to scold him for agreeing to things, but before I could even say anything, he started crying like a child...”
The singer also thanked the Bollywood industry, people in Punjab and Daler's fans for standing by his brother during the controversy.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to the entire Bollywood industry, the people of Punjab, and all of Daler Paaji's fans for the immense support shown after watching the video where he was scolded,” Mika said.
He also criticised the manner in which Daler was reprimanded in public, drawing a comparison with how public scolding can become controversial in schools and colleges.
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The Daler Mehndi Controversy
The controversy surrounding Daler Mehndi began during his performance at the Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair in Uttarakhand on Sunday evening. During his performance, state minister Subodh Uniyal got on the stage, interrupted the singer and accused Daler Mehndi of performing in a drunken state.
Uniyal questioned his performance, saying, “There is a Durga Mata programme for Navratri, and you are singing at the event after drinking alcohol, which is not appropriate. We called you so that our people could be entertained. You are making a fool of us. This is wrong. It's wrong. You were called because you have a big name. You can't even speak, how will you sing?”
The minister later claimed that Daler had been paid Rs 35 lakh for the event. His brother, singer Mika Singh, defended him, stressing that Daler does not consume alcohol. He also criticised Uniyal's behaviour and demanded an apology for the alleged public insult.
The incident drew reactions from several members of the entertainment industry. Actors Rajpal Yadav and Anupam Kher, comedian Kapil Sharma and singer Badshah were among those who expressed support for Daler.
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