After Kunjapuri Mela Controversy, Bollywood Comes Out In Support Of Daler Mehndi – Mika Singh Says Brother Was Ill, Kapil Sharma, Palash Sen, Ajaz Khan Back Singer

Dehradun / Mumbai – 20 Oct 2026:

After the high-voltage drama at Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Mela, Tehri Garhwal – where Uttarakhand Health Minister Subodh Uniyal publicly reprimanded Punjabi-Bollywood singing legend Daler Mehndi on stage for alleged lip-syncing despite being paid an exorbitant Rs 35 to 40 lakhs – several Bollywood singers, musicians, actors and Sikh leaders have now come out in support of the singer.

The videos of Minister Uniyal scolding Mehndi – _”Itna paisa deke aapko bulaya hai, bola to ja nahi raha, gaana kya gaoge?”_ – went viral on social media, triggering a sharp divide. While Uttarakhandi folk artists and local public welcomed the Minister’s intervention, a section of Bollywood and Punjabi music industry has termed it an insult to a senior artist.

In a video statement, Mika Singh – himself a famous singer – said his elder brother has been unwell for the last few months and was on heavy medication. He denied the allegations of being drunk on stage and said Daler paaji performed despite illness because of his commitment to Maa Kunjapuri and his fans. He requested people not to make it a religious issue.

Kapil Sharma , a prominent rapper and comedian running a popular Kapil Sharma show also came in support of the singer saying that he is not well as he has undergone a surgery.

Singer and doctor Palash Sen said Daler Mehndi is an institution, who gave India pop music in the 90s. “A technical glitch or health issue can happen to anyone on stage. Publicly humiliating an artist of his stature, who is 57 and still performing, is not our culture,” he said in his video.

Actor Ajaz Khan also posted a video saying Daler Mehndi has always respected all religions and has sung “Bolo Ta Ra Ra” to “Dardi Rab”.He should not be targeted like this.

Several Sikh leaders from Punjab have also posted videos. Some have come in strong support of Daler Mehndi – calling him the pride of Punjab who has taken Punjabi folk to the world stage – and termed the public scolding by a Minister as “disrespectful and against artist dignity”.

While a few Sikh voices from Punjab have also criticized that if the singer was indeed ill, he should not have accepted a religious fair during Navratri and should have performed live rather than on track, especially for such a high fee.

Support notwithstanding, the core questions raised by locals and folk artists remain:

– Why was a Punjabi pop star hired for a Navratri Shaktipeeth religious fair for Rs 35-40 lakh, when top Uttarakhandi folk legends charge Rs 2-8 lakh maximum and sing live in Garhwali?
– Was the Culture Department involved in clearing this payment?
– If the singer was ill, as Mika Singh claims, why was a medical certificate not submitted and why was a track show done instead of informing organizers in advance? Ask those present in the event.

The controversy has now snowballed into a “Local vs Bollywood” cultural debate”, with Uttarakhandi artists demanding a clear policy that 70% budget of all state melas be reserved for state artists.

Meanwhile, the Kunjapuri Mela Committee is yet to give a formal statement on who authorized the payment and what the contract said – live performance or track show.