Mamata govt cancelled Arjit Singh's concert out of spite: BJP

New Delhi: BJP alleged that the Trinamool government in West Bengal cancelling playback singer Arjith Singh's concert, which was scheduled on February 18 in Kolkata, was driven by politics, NDTV reported.

BJP MP Amit Malaviya alleged that Arijit Singh singing 'Rang de tu mohey gerua' (nearest translation: 'Colour me saffron') in front of state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the Kolkata International Film Festival had infuriated the TMC-led state government and therefore it cancelled Singh's concert. BJP pitches the saffron as a colour for its 'Hindu Nationalist' ideology.

Malaviya also sarcastically referred to a comment made by Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan at the fest that questions were being raised on civil liberties and freedom of expression in India.

Meanwhile, state minister Firhad Hakkim responded on why Singh's concert was cancelled. He said that an event marking India's G20 presidency is going to take place at the convention hall next to Eco Park, where Singh's concert was scheduled. The Presidency event will be attended by many foreign dignitaries. Since Singh's concert would attract a large audience, law enforcement would have difficulty in handling them all and chances of law and order situations would be high, he explained.

At the film fest, Amitabh Bachchan, who rarely made public comments on sensitive issues, made the remarks on the backdrop of boycott calls being issued on Shah Rukh Khan-Deepika Padukone starring "Pathan". Right-wing factions got offended by Deepika dancing while wearing a saffron bikini in a song sequence, which also features Khan. The Song "Besharam Rang" insulted the Hindu community and must be changed or withdrawn, boycott campaigners demanded.