Diljit Dosanjh has cancelled his performance in Houston as FWICE believes that this was organised by a Pakistani national. (Photo: Diljit Dosanjh/Instagram)The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has asked actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh to cancel his performance at a show in Houston on September 21 as they believe that the show is being organised by Pakistan national Mr Rehan Siddiqui.
In a letter addressed to the Minister of External Affairs, FWICE sought “cancellation of VISA of Singer/Actor Mr Diljit Dosanjh.” The letter stated, “We have come to know that performing singer and actor from Punjab Mr Diljit Dosanjh has accepted the invitation of Mr Rehan Siddiqui for staging his performance in America on 21st September. Mr Dosanjh is a thorough gentleman and a superb singer/actor but he has been allured by Pak national Mr Rehan Siddiqui. His performance for the Pak national and people will set a wrong precedent in view of the current alarming situation between the two countries.”
FWICE wrote a letter to the Minister of External Affairs for the cancellation of Diljit Dosanjh’s VISA.The FWICE also issued a press release about the matter. It read, “We have just seen a poster of artist/Singer Mr Diljit Dosanjh who is giving his performance in a show organised by Mr Rehan Siddiqui (a Pakistani national). We are also writing to him to cancel this commitment of his in the interest of sentiments and dignity of our nation.”
Apart from Diljit Dosanjh, FWICE’s press release mentioned the names of Saif Ali Khan and Shreya Ghoshal.Diljit Dosanjh has addressed the issue on Twitter. He claims that his dealings are only with a company named Shri Balaji Entertainment and thus, he has no idea about others named in FWICE’s letter.
Dosanjh shared on Twitter, “I have just become aware of a letter issued by the FWICE to me by an article published in the Mumbai Mirror today. I was not aware of any such intimation by the Federation before today. I would like to state that my contract is only with ‘Shri Balaji Entertainment’. My dealings and agreement is with them only and nobody else that is mentioned in the article or Federation letter. However, in lieu of the letter by the FWICE, I have decided to postpone my Houston show at this time. I love my country and will always stand for the greater interest of the nation. India. Always.”
🇮🇳 ✊ pic.twitter.com/HEtLzl0Eou
— DILJIT DOSANJH (@diljitdosanjh) September 11, 2019
FWICE’s press release also included the names of Saif Ali Khan and Shreya Ghoshal as they have come to know through ‘reliable sources’ that the two are also performing in America “at the behest of Mr Rehan Siddiqui.”
“We have also come to know from our reliable sources that our performers in general and actor Saif Ali Khan and singer Shreya Ghoshal, in particular, are giving their performances in America at the behest of Mr Rehan Siddiqui, a Pakistani national, who is also the promoter of the shows,” the release read.
This matter has come to light just weeks after singer Mika Singh was banned from performing in India by the FWICE as he performed at a wedding in Karachi, Pakistan. Later, Mika apologised for the same and said, “It wasn’t that I was adamant on performing there, it was a coincidence that I went there and #Article370 happened. If I made a mistake, I apologise to the federation and the nation.”
