Sunday night at the Kunjapuri fair in New Tehri, Subodh Uniyal of Uttarakhand’s tourism department confronted Daler Mehndi on stage, accusing him of performing while intoxicated and calling for a halt to the show. Uniyal said the singer "was under the influence of an intoxicant" and that he felt the performance was unsanitary for a Durga Mata programme. The clip of the exchange quickly went viral, sparking a wave of criticism across social media.
At a press conference the next day, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami announced he would meet with Daler Mehndi and his brother Mika Singh to clear the air. Dhami called both men "good friends" and said the state would not tolerate disrespect toward artists. His statement came after the singer’s brother demanded an apology for the public humiliation.
Mika Singh took to Twitter to urge Dhami to apologise and praised Daler Mehndi for stepping in when another artist fell ill. Actor Manoj Bajpayee added that the minister should have checked on the singer’s condition before confronting him. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CM Dhami, urging officials to be more sensitive when dealing with performers.
Dhami has yet to set a specific date for the meeting, but his announcement signals a move toward reconciliation. The fair’s organizers hope the dispute can be resolved quietly before the next state‑wide cultural festival kicks off next month.