The 74-year-old singer has said he doesn’t want to get involved in politics

The city’s date with Ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali stands cancelled.
The renowned Pakistani singer, who was scheduled to perform at Delhi’s Siri Fort auditorium this Sunday following an invitation from the Delhi government, has cancelled all his performances in India.
On Wednesday, the 74-year-old singer called off all forthcoming performances in India, including the one in Delhi this week and another in Lucknow, saying the situation was not conducive for music right now and that he didn’t want to ‘get involved in any kind of politics’.
Mr. Ali’s son Aamir said that his father did not want to perform after what happened in Mumbai, where a scheduled concert was cancelled last month after the Shiv Sena threatened to disrupt it.
He, however, assured that the singer will visit India when ‘the atmosphere is right’.
“The November 8 concert (in Delhi) is not happening. After what happened in Mumbai, we don’t want to take any risk. The atmosphere should be right for music. We don’t want to get involved in any kind of politics. So much is happening there, it would not be right for us to come at this time,” Aamir said.
After his show was cancelled in Mumbai, the singer was invited by the Aam Aadmi Party government to visit New Delhi.
In fact, even West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had extended an invite to the singer.
A few days later, Delhi’s Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra met the singer in Kalkaji and said that the singer has decided to accept the government’s invitation.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also reportedly spoke to the singer over the phone the same day.
“It is unfortunate if people like him and other artistes have to think twice before coming to India. It is not good for us as a nation. We are happy to welcome him whenever he is comfortable,” Kapil Mishra told The Hindu .
After Mr. Ali’s performance was fixed for November 8 the Shiv Sena, which had earlier threatened to disrupt his show in Mumbai, said it would not let the performance happen in Delhi either.
The singer was also expected to perform in another concert in Delhi in December, but that looks doubtful now. “We are not sure about the December concert. He has many fans in India, but he will visit when the atmosphere is right. While some politicians have extended invites, there are others who want to create problem,” Aamir added.
— with PTI inputs