Mika Singh has turned a viral stage moment into a pointed demand: Uttarakhand cabinet minister Subodh Uniyal should publicly say sorry to Daler Mehndi. The singer said on Thursday that veteran performers are owed dignity, not humiliation, and he wants Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to step in.
The row began on Sunday evening at the Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair in New Tehri. Daler Mehndi, 59, was performing when Uniyal walked up on stage and asked him loudly whether he had been drinking. Video clips from the event have gone viral, and they show Mehndi saying “sorry” in the moment.
Mika Singh’s rebuttal
In a new social media post, Mika Singh asked the minister to “acknowledge your mistake and apologize” to his brother. He also offered context that changes how the clips read.
According to Mika, Sunanda Sharma had been booked to perform first, but she fell ill with fever. Daler Mehndi was called in just one day before the event and performed even though he was not well. “The real truth is that you should be grateful to Daler Mehndi ji for saving your event and fulfilling his responsibility,” Mika wrote in a translated Hindi post.
Mika’s argument is simple: rather than questioning an artist in public, the minister should be thanking a performer who rescued a last-minute line-up problem.
Why the viral clip travelled beyond Uttarakhand
- The stage moment was filmed, so the confrontation moved faster than any statement could.
- Daler Mehndi’s 1990s hits, including “Tunak Tunak Tun,” “Bolo Ta Ra” and “Ho Jayegi Balle Balle”, make the clip recognisable far beyond the local event.
- Mika says celebrities and fans around the world have supported Daler, while no one has defended the minister.
- The dispute has become a proxy for how veteran artists should be treated at public events.
The dignity argument
Mika’s closing message is not subtle. “Artists deserve dignity and respect,” he said, adding that it was painful to see his brother accused of being drunk while performing. His point is that a public reprimand does not resolve anything; it only humiliates.
For our readers, the story shows how a one-line question from a public official can turn a local fair into a national talking point. It also shows the role a family member can play in resetting the narrative after a video has already gone viral.
Now the camera shifts to the minister and the state government. The viral moment has already happened; the next few days will show whether an apology comes with it.
Source: Hindustan Times
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