The highly-anticipated India tour of Canada-based Punjabi singer Shubhneet Singh, known as Shubh in the music industry, faced an abrupt cancellation on September 20, sparking controversy over a previously shared distorted map of India.
Ticketing platform BookMyShow issued a statement on social media, sayin
g, "Singer Shubhneet Singh’s “Still Rollin” Tour for India stands cancelled. To that end, BookMyShow has initiated a complete refund of the ticket amount for all consumers who had purchased tickets for the show."
The controversy erupted after Shubh shared an Instagram story earlier this year featuring a map of India with shadows obscuring the state of Jammu and Kashmir and parts of Northeast India, accompanied by the text "Pray for Punjab."
This cancellation comes on the heels of heightened tensions between India and Canada, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's comments on the alleged involvement of Indian government agents in the murder of Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
This diplomatic strain led to the expulsion of high-ranking diplomats from both countries.
Graphic artist Amandeep Singh, who created the map in question under the pseudonym ‘Inkquisitive,’ clarified that Shubh had shared his artwork. Singh had previously explained that the map was not intended to promote a separatist agenda.
Shubh had planned performances in multiple Indian cities, including Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.
In response to the controversy, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), staged a protest in Mumbai and removed promotional posters for the singer's concert.
Additionally, Indian cricketer Virat Kohli, known for sharing videos featuring Shubh's music, reportedly unfollowed the singer on Instagram following the controversy, with some speculating that fellow cricketers KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya may follow suit.
