"You Don't Have To Prove...": Punjab MP Backs Singer Shubh Amid Row

Amid an ongoing controversy around singer Shubh, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Friday came in support of the Punjabi-Canadian artist and told him that he "doesn't need to prove his patriotism". Singer Shubh was scheduled to perform in India but his tour was cancelled over his alleged support to Khalistani sympathizer. Shubh had shared a distorted map of India on his Instagram handle earlier this year, which omitted the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and the Northeastern states.

"Singer Shubh we stand with you. You don't need to prove your patriotism because you are a proud son of Punjab and India," Ms Badal, a former ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said on her official X (formerly Twitter) account.

"Akali Dal appeals to fellow countrymen not to fall prey to conspiracies to label Shubh & others who speak for Punjab as anti-nationals," the Lok Sabha MP from Punjab's Bathinda added.

Congress comes in support of singer Shubh

On Friday, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring also backed singer Shubh and said that he "strongly oppose labelling of our youngsters, who speak for Punjab as anti-nationals".

"While we at Punjab Congress strongly oppose the idea of Khalistan & have actively fought our battles against anti-national forces, I strongly oppose labelling of our youngsters like Shubh, who speak for Punjab as anti-nationals. We Punjabis don't need to give any proof about our nationalism," Mr Warring posted on X.

"This propaganda being pushed by certain forces against Punjabis to undermine us is highly condemnable. Malicious attempts to tarnish our youngsters must be repulsed. Jai Hind! Jai Punjab!", the senior Congress leader added.

Controversy around singer Shubh

The controversy around singer Shubh, who rose to fame with his song 'Still Rollin', began on September 19, when boAt, an electronics brand, withdrew its sponsorship from his upcoming India tour.

A day later, his ‘Still Rollin India tour' was cancelled by BookMyShow after the ticket-booking app faced a boycott call on social media platforms amid simmering tensions between India and Canada.

The 26-year-old faced the wrath of netizens after he shared a map of India on his Instagram story, which omitted the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and the Northeastern states. Along with the picture, the singer had written, "Pray for Punjab".

After backlash, he deleted the map and replaced it with a message that read "Pray for Punjab" without any picture.

"Disheartened:" Singer Shubh after India tour cancelled 

Singer Shubh on Thursday expressed his disappointment after his tour was cancelled following allegations of his support for Khalistani sympathizer and said that he was "extremely disheartened". 

"My intent in resharing that post on my story was only to pray for Punjab as there were reports of electricity and internet shutdowns throughout the state. There was no other thought behind it, and I definitely didn't intend to hurt anyone's sentiments," he said in his Instagram post.

"India is MY country too. I was born here. It is the land of my GURUS and my ANCESTORS, who didn't even blink an eye to make sacrifices for the freedom of this land, for its glory, and for the family. And Punjab is my soul, Punjab is in my blood. Whatever I am today, I am because of being a Punjabi," he added.