Singer Shubh, the stage name of Canadian-born Punjabi musician Shubhneet Singh, has expressed regret over the cancellation of his visit to India due to suspicions that he supported Khalistan.
The Controversial Instagram Post
In the world of music, controversy frequently appears out of the blue. As such, the highly anticipated India tour of Canadian-born Punjabi musician Shubhneet Singh. Well known by his stage name Shubh, was postponed as a result of the controversy surrounding him. The cause? A social media post that seemed innocent enough to start a maelstrom of criticism and allegations.
The 26-year-old emerging star of the Punjabi music scene, Shubh, had been enthusiastically getting ready for his tour of his native India. The singer posted on his Instagram page, where he had a sizable following, how thrilled and eager he was to play. He couldn’t have predicted the sequence of events that transpired, though.
Accusations Against Singer Shubh of Khalistan Support
Earlier this year, Shubh uploaded a map of India on Instagram. Excluding the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and the Northeastern regions. This post led to the cancellation of the tour. “Pray for Punjab,” he wrote as a caption on the map. The vocalist was surprised by the far-reaching effects of this message’s apparent innocence.
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The outcry on social media was fast and ferocious. Many others accused Shubh of being a part of the separatist Khalistan movement. Which calls for the establishment of an independent Sikh state. Concerns about Shubh’s political ties were raised when the map was shared without several locations, which prompted demands to boycott his future tour.
BookMyShow made the Decision to Cancel Shubh’s Tour
Shubh took down the contentious map from his Instagram story in reaction to the growing uproar. And replaced it with the more neutral phrase “Pray for Punjab,” but the damage had already been done. Due to the growing pressure from social media, BookMyShow, a well-known ticketing website, ultimately decided to cancel his tour.
Shubh’s Clarification
Singer Shubh was discouraged by the abrupt turn of circumstances. He had been looking forward to meeting his Indian admirers and exhibiting his talent on a bigger scale. He explained his motivations behind the contentious map post in an Instagram post about the cancellation.
I posted the remark again on my page with a hidden agenda because it was a fervent prayer for Punjab in response to the extensive internet and power outages that had affected the entire state. I didn’t aim to offend anyone’s feelings, and there was no other reason for it, Shubh said in an Instagram post.
He made an effort to defend the reasoning of the message, but the issue persisted. Notably, notable Indian cricketers Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli unfollowed Shubh on Instagram to express their disgust of his behavior.
In the midst of tense tensions between India and Canada, Shubh’s tour was canceled. Recently, Canada accused India of taking part in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and as reprisal, New Delhi’s intelligence head was expelled. Tensions and mistrust were heightened by this diplomatic issue.
Shubh’s Emotional Response
Shubh later shared his strong ties to India and expressed his disappointment at the tour’s cancellation on social media. He emphasized his ancestry and his connection to Punjab. The home of his Gurus, while underlining the lengthy history of sacrifice made by Punjabis for India’s freedom. He pleaded with the public not to categorize every Punjabi as a separatist or anti-national.
In the music business, Shubh’s career trajectory had been positive. He was born in India and later immigrated to Canada, where he established himself as a multi-talented artist particularly skilled in singing, rapping, and music composition. His joint effort with Irman Thiara, especially “Don’t Look,” propelled him to musical success in 2021 and captured the hearts of listeners worldwide.
The controversy around Shubh’s cancelled tour provides as a reminder of the influence of social media and how, in the current digital era, even a seemingly benign post may have huge repercussions.
