In India, Turkish singer’s performance cancelled after student union protest at World Music Festival
By Bosphorus News Staff
The performance by Turkish singer Selin Sümbültepe at the Udaipur World Music Festival in India was cancelled about 30 minutes before it was due to begin on Saturday evening, following protests by members of the National Students Union of India (NSUI), according to The Indian Express.
NSUI activists opposed Sümbültepe’s participation, arguing that “Türkiye had supported Pakistan during Operation Sindoor by supplying them with drones and arguing that artists from the country should not be given a platform in India,” The Indian Express reported.
The protest began around 2 pm when NSUI members gathered outside the District Collectorate in Udaipur and submitted a memorandum to Additional District Magistrate (ADM) City Jitendra Ojha, demanding that the festival be cancelled. The activists later demonstrated at the entrance to the festival venue at Gandhi Ground, holding placards and chanting slogans against the scheduled performance.
Following the protest, the organisers called off the show. The Indian Express reported that attempts to contact Udaipur Collector Namit Mehta for comment were unsuccessful, while ADM Jitendra Ojha said he had “no knowledge regarding the cancellation of the program.”
Former NSUI District President Mohit Nayak described the invitation to Turkish artists as “completely wrong,” claiming that “Türkiye has supported Pakistan on international platforms and has been involved in anti-India activities.” He added that allowing such a performance on the “sacred land of Mewar” was unacceptable and accused the Rajasthan government of backing the event, calling it an example of the India’s ruling party Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) “double standards.”
Nayak further stated that the organisers “had assured the group that no events involving Turkish artists will be held in the future,” adding: “It is absolutely inappropriate to give a platform to artists from a country that has helped our enemies in times of difficulty, especially on the land of Maharana Pratap. This act will tarnish the image of Mewar.”