27 October,2026 11:29 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Maninder Buttar and Mika Singh. Pics via Instagram
Punjabi singer Maninder Buttar has broken his silence on Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal's alleged disrespectful remarks about him during the Daler Mehndi incident. Buttar addressed the minister directly and expressed deep shock over the statements. Notably, singer Mika Singh had also questioned Uniyal earlier for the language used towards artists, including Buttar on a public platform.
Maninder emphasised that Uniyal is of his father's age, further urging the minister to release the complete, unedited footage of his earlier performance in the state to reveal the truth.
During an Instagram live session on Monday, Buttar addressed the minister's claims, saying, "I am a very simple person. I have never intentionally hurt anyone's feelings, never indulged in any kind of misconduct, and have always tried to maintain my dignity and respect for others. I was genuinely shocked when I came to know that such things had been said about me and my father."
He also refused allegations of any past misbehaviour or violence during his 2019 show in Uttarakhand, adding, "It was back in 2019, almost seven years ago, when I travelled to Uttarakhand for a show and performed for more than an hour. The Hon'ble Minister even came on stage and honoured me by placing a traditional Pahadi cap on my head. I performed the entire show wearing that cap. I respectfully request the Hon'ble Minister to upload the complete recording of that show so that everyone can see what actually happened."
The singer further said, "I am a small artist, and I have always tried to keep my family away from controversies. I have never performed under the influence of alcohol or any intoxicating substance, and I have always taken my work seriously. All I ask is for the complete, unedited recording of that show to be made public," he said.
The incident took place at the Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair in New Tehri, where Minister Subodh Uniyal interrupted Daler Mehndi's live performance and accused him of being drunk. During the confrontation, Uniyal allegedly brought up Buttar's name, claiming that the singer was previously beaten up during his visit to the region.
Mika Singh came to his brother's defence, slamming Uniyal's remarks towards Mehndi and Buttar. Taking to X he wrote, "The way Minister SubodhUniyal1 ji spoke on stage was extremely rude and disrespectful. An artist deserves dignity, regardless of the circumstances. He reportedly said on stage, 'Yahan aapse pehle manindarbuttar pit ke gaya tha. Itna pita tha ki ab uska baap bhi nahi aa sakta yahan se (Before you Maninder Buttar got beaten up here. He was thrashed so much that even his father would not dare to come here)'." (sic)
"Is this really the language a minister should use for artists? What kind of behaviour is this? Artists come to perform, entertain people, and honour their commitments. They deserve respect, not humiliation from a public platform," Singh wrote.
