‘India is nobody’s property’: Diljit Dosanjh amid calls for protest against his concert

Amid calls for boycotting his concert, popular singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh dedicated his concert to Urdu poet Rahat Indori in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The Punjabi singing sensation mentioned Indori’s lines from his ghazal. “Kisi ke baap ka Hindustan thodi hai,” ( India isn’t anyone’s property) he said during the show. The singer didn’t make a direct reference to the Bajrang Dal, who protested against his concert in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

The Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) protested against the sale of liquor and meat at singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh’s concert in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, with some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators voicing their support for the demands. Hundreds of people affiliated to the Hindu outfits, carrying sticks and banners, staged a protest at the Collectorate on Sunday morning.

Diljit also addressed the issue of black marketing of tickets for his concerts as part of the ongoing Dil-Luminati India Tour 2024. He saidwhile artists are blamed for the fraudulent practice, it’s not their fault. The singer broke his silence on the issue, which has plagued his tour ever since he kickstarted the India leg of his tour in Delhi on October 26, during his performance in Indore on Sunday.

“For a while, it has been going against me that Diljit’s concert tickets are being sold in the black market. But it’s not my fault that tickets are being sold that way, isn’t that so? If you are getting the ticket for Rs 10 and you sell it for Rs 100, what’s the fault of the artist?” Diljit can be heard saying in the video he shared on his official Instagram account.

“Do one thing, put the blame on me. So, people from the media, blame me as much as you want. I don’t have any fear of being defamed. I don’t have any tension,” he further said.

According to organisers, Dil-Luminati India Tour 2024 became the highest-grossing concert tour ever in India with the sale of 2.5 lakh tickets earlier in September. However, there were many fans who couldn’t get the tickets to witness the concerts following which there has been a rise in the sales of passes at higher prices through black market channels.

In October, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said it has detected alleged irregularities after it conducted raids in a money laundering probe into “black marketing” of tickets for British rock band Coldplay and Diljit’s concerts.

Diljit said black marketing is an old practice. “This is not something new. Black marketing of tickets has been going on since the time immemorial. Earlier it was cinema… Only the avenues have changed”, he added.

At his show, the singer-actor also wished the best to singers Karan Aujla and AP Dhillon, who are also currently busy touring India.

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“This is the beginning of independent music so there will be challenges. Whenever evolution takes place, challenges occur. But we will keep doing our work. All the independent artists over there, double the hard work.

“The time of Indian music has come. Earlier, foreign artists would come and their tickets were sold in lakhs in black market. Now, it’s happening with Indian artists that their tickets are getting sold (in black). This is what you call vocal for local,” he added. Dil-Luminati India Tour 2024 will conclude on December 29 in Guwahati.