Ghulam Ali’s Delhi Event Cancelled After Hindu Sena ‘Threat’

Director Suhaib Ilyasi claimed he received a call from Vishnu Gupta of Hindu Sena threatening to disrupt the event.

A Hindu Sena activist being taken away by police from the venue of music launch of “Ghar Wapsi”, where Pakistani singer Ghulam Ali was invited in Delhi (Photo: IANS)

Legendary Pakistani artist Ghulam Ali’s event “Ghar Wapsi” has been cancelled by a Delhi hotel allegedly over a threat by the fringe group Hindu Sena.

However, the management of Royal Plaza, where the event was to be held this afternoon, said it was cancelled as there was “no information about it” and also “no documentation”.

The ghazal singer was to launch the music of ‘Ghar Wapsi’, a film by Suhaib Illyasi, on Monday at the Royal Plaza hotel.

It is regrettable that Ghulam Ali’s music launch has been cancelled by the hotel management. We were told not to keep the event here as they feared that people from Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Hindu Sena would disrupt it and destroy hotel property.

Suhaib Ilyasi

Police personnel were deployed outside the venue and even detained a few men who were chanting “Bharat Mata ki Jai”. A few of them said they were volunteers of the Hindu Sena.

The director plans to reschedule the launch but is yet to decide where it will be organised.

RLD leader Amar Singh and television producer Suhaib Ilyasi arrive at the venue of music launch of “Ghar Wapsi” (Photo: IANS)

We will surely organise the launch again. I knew such an incident could happen that’s why we had written to Delhi Police and the home ministry to provide us security and I am happy that Indian government and the police did their best. Despite this, the hotel has decided to call off the event.

Former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, who claimed he was invited to the event but not allowed to go inside, said,

Today is a blot on culture and tradition. It is a black day. If in free India, someone is troubled because he is a Khan or someone in Pakistan is heckled because he is a Mishra or Chaubey then what is the difference between India and Pakistan.

The music release of “Ghar Wapsi” was cancelled in January following Shiv Sena’s opposition in Mumbai.

Ali, 75, whose several concerts in India had to be cancelled last year following Sena threats, is making his acting debut with the Hindi feature film set to release in June.