Kirtan singer slams organisers after Kamal Nath attends Sikh religious event in Indore

INDORE: A row erupted over the presence of Congress leader Kamal Nath at a Sikh religious event in Indore where kirtan singer Manpreet Singh Kanpuri apparently referred to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots after Nath left the venue and slammed organisers. The former chief minister is an accused in the riots case.

A video surfaced on social media showing furious a Kanpuri expressing displeasure over organisers felicitating political leaders at the religious programme.

He made an oblique reference to the anti-Sikh riots that broke out after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Kanpuri did not name Kamal Nath directly.

The incident occurred on Tuesday at a religious event organised on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti.

Nath, who heads the Madhya Pradesh unit of Congress, attended the event organised at Khalsa College, along with former BJP MP Krishnamurari Moghe and others.

मैं भाई मनप्रीत सिंह जी कानपुरी द्वारा आज इंदौर गुरुद्वारा साहिब में कांग्रेसी नेता कमलनाथ को सम्मान दिये जाने के विरोध का समर्थन करता हूँ। सिखों के क़ातिलों को गुरुद्वारा साहिब में सिरोपा देने पर मनप्रीत सिंह जी ने कड़ी आपत्ति जतायी

संगत भाई मनप्रीत जी की भावनाओं की कदर करती है pic.twitter.com/HVZHxgWosL

— Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) November 8, 2022

According to eyewitnesses, organisers handed mementoes to these politicians which delayed the kirtan (devotional song) program by at least 30 minutes.

After Nath left the venue, Kanpuri lashed out at the organisers from the stage.

"What principles are you talking about? You were burned by putting tyres. Yet you don't mend ways. What kind of politics do you want to do?" Kanpuri said in Punjabi.

He pacified the members of the audience who were shouting religious slogans. "They do not have a conscience," he said. The kirtan singer said he will not visit Indore again.

Meanwhile, state Home Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Narottam Mishra termed the incident "shameful and extremely sad". "Just as demonic forces used to obstruct yagnas of sages and seers in ancient times, more or less the same behaviour was seen in the Indore programme. What else can be expected from the accused involved in the 1984 genocide?" he asked.

The home minister appealed to Kanpuri to rethink his decision not to visit Indore again.

State BJP spokesman Neha Bagga alleged Nath had visited the programme to "rub salt on wounds (of Sikhs)".

On the other hand, state Congress media department chairman KK Mishra told PTI that developments after Kamal Nath's visit to the Khalsa College programme were "sponsored by some BJP people". He termed the BJP's allegations against Kamal Nath regarding the anti-Sikh riots "completely baseless".

"After these riots, Kamal Nath has won Lok Sabha elections five times. This is a big proof and rebuttal of Narottam Mishra's allegations against Kamal Nath," added Mishra.

He said every Indian has the right to offer prayers before Guru Nanak and the local Sikh community had not objected to Nath attending this program.

INDORE: A row erupted over the presence of Congress leader Kamal Nath at a Sikh religious event in Indore where kirtan singer Manpreet Singh Kanpuri apparently referred to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots after Nath left the venue and slammed organisers. The former chief minister is an accused in the riots case. A video surfaced on social media showing furious a Kanpuri expressing displeasure over organisers felicitating political leaders at the religious programme. He made an oblique reference to the anti-Sikh riots that broke out after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Kanpuri did not name Kamal Nath directly. The incident occurred on Tuesday at a religious event organised on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti. Nath, who heads the Madhya Pradesh unit of Congress, attended the event organised at Khalsa College, along with former BJP MP Krishnamurari Moghe and others. मैं भाई मनप्रीत सिंह जी कानपुरी द्वारा आज इंदौर गुरुद्वारा साहिब में कांग्रेसी नेता कमलनाथ को सम्मान दिये जाने के विरोध का समर्थन करता हूँ। सिखों के क़ातिलों को गुरुद्वारा साहिब में सिरोपा देने पर मनप्रीत सिंह जी ने कड़ी आपत्ति जतायी संगत भाई मनप्रीत जी की भावनाओं की कदर करती है pic.twitter.com/HVZHxgWosL — Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) November 8, 2022 According to eyewitnesses, organisers handed mementoes to these politicians which delayed the kirtan (devotional song) program by at least 30 minutes. After Nath left the venue, Kanpuri lashed out at the organisers from the stage. "What principles are you talking about? You were burned by putting tyres. Yet you don't mend ways. What kind of politics do you want to do?" Kanpuri said in Punjabi. He pacified the members of the audience who were shouting religious slogans. "They do not have a conscience," he said. The kirtan singer said he will not visit Indore again. Meanwhile, state Home Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Narottam Mishra termed the incident "shameful and extremely sad". "Just as demonic forces used to obstruct yagnas of sages and seers in ancient times, more or less the same behaviour was seen in the Indore programme. What else can be expected from the accused involved in the 1984 genocide?" he asked. The home minister appealed to Kanpuri to rethink his decision not to visit Indore again. State BJP spokesman Neha Bagga alleged Nath had visited the programme to "rub salt on wounds (of Sikhs)". On the other hand, state Congress media department chairman KK Mishra told PTI that developments after Kamal Nath's visit to the Khalsa College programme were "sponsored by some BJP people". He termed the BJP's allegations against Kamal Nath regarding the anti-Sikh riots "completely baseless". "After these riots, Kamal Nath has won Lok Sabha elections five times. This is a big proof and rebuttal of Narottam Mishra's allegations against Kamal Nath," added Mishra. He said every Indian has the right to offer prayers before Guru Nanak and the local Sikh community had not objected to Nath attending this program.