'Shameful': Punjabi singer Gurdas Maan concert at Haryana University during national mourning over Pahalgam terror attack sparks row

HISAR: As the nation continued to mourn the death of 26 civilians in the Pahalgam terror attack, celebrations at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (HAU) here on Saturday sparked outrage.
Punjabi singer Gurdas Maan's ‘Dil Da Maal' programme was scheduled to begin at 7 pm, however by 8 pm, less than half the expected audience arrived, and Maan himself did not take the stage. In contrast, singer Shreya Ghoshal, who had a scheduled concert in Gujarat on Saturday, cancelled her performance in view of the national tragedy.
Criticising the event at HAU, INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala blamed the vice-chancellor for allowing a musical event to proceed at a govt institution during a period of "national mourning".
Chautala demanded immediate suspension of the VC.
University officials, though, clarified that the Indira Gandhi Auditorium at the institute was booked months earlier by a private organisation, which paid the requisite fee. They emphasised that the event was not organised by the university itself.
The concert came to public attention after promotional posters for ‘Dil Da Maal' appeared across Hisar city, with ticket prices ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 8,000. Social organisations also condemned the event, noting that a naval officer from Haryana was among those killed in the Pahalgam attack. Despite the loss, such celebrations were allowed to proceed, they lamented.
Talking to the mediapersons, Abhay Singh Chautala said: "What could be more shameful than this? When a tragic incident like the Pahalgam terrorist attack has occurred, the govt is busy celebrating instead of acting firmly. The vice-chancellor of HAU must be suspended immediately."