Electronics brand boAt on Tuesday said that it has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Canada-based Punjabi singer Shubneet Singh's upcoming India concert. The decision has been taken in light of the singer's alleged support for Khalistan. Earlier this year, he posted a distorted map of India without Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab on his Instagram account, leading to outrage.
"At boAt, while our commitment to the incredible music community runs deep, we are first & foremost a true Indian brand. Therefore, when we became aware of the remarks made by artist Shubh earlier this year, we chose to withdraw our sponsorship from the tour," Boat said in a statement posted on X.
See the tweet here:
''We will continue to foster a vibrant music culture in India and create platforms where emerging artists can show their talent,'' the company added.
Notably, Mr Singh, known by his stage name Shubh is scheduled to perform in Mumbai from September 23-25 as part of the Cruise Control 4.0 event, organized aboard the Cordelia Cruise, as per PTI. He will also perform in cities such as New Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
A few days ago, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth wing of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), removed posters promoting his concert, saying that there is no place for 'Khalistan' supporters in Bharat.
"There is no space for Khalistanis who are the enemy of integrity and unity of India. We won't let Canadian singer Shubh perform on the auspicious land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mumbai...If no proper action is taken then the organisers will have to face the revolt..." BJYM President Tajinder Singh Tiwana told news agency ANI.
Cricketer Virat Kohli had also recently unfollowed Shubh on social media app Instagram.
Notably, the controversy surrounding the singer's tour is unfolding against the backdrop of strained relations between India and Canada. Canada on Monday accused the Indian involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last June and expelled New Delhi's intelligence chief in Ottawa in retaliation. The diplomatic move sent relations between the two countries, already sour, to a dramatic new low.
India, meanwhile, rejected Justin Trudeau's allegation, describing it as "absurd" and "motivated". In a reciprocal move, India expelled a senior Canadian diplomat and gave him 5 days to leave the country.
