Turkish Singer's Performance Cancelled at Udaipur Music Festival After NSUI Protests
The Udaipur World Music Festival, celebrating its 10th anniversary with participation from numerous international musicians, faced controversy on Saturday evening when the performance of Turkish singer Selin Sümbültepe was abruptly cancelled. The cancellation occurred barely 30 minutes before the scheduled 7 PM start time, following protests by activists from the National Students Union of India (NSUI).
Protests Over Alleged Turkey-Pakistan Support
NSUI activists opposed the singer's participation, alleging that Turkey had supported Pakistan during Operation Sindoor by supplying drones and arguing that artists from Turkey should not be given a platform in India. The protest began at 2 PM when NSUI members gathered outside the District Collectorate in Udaipur, submitting a memorandum to Additional District Magistrate (ADM) City Jitendra Ojha, demanding immediate cancellation of the event.
Later in the evening, activists staged a demonstration at the entrance of the festival venue at Gandhi Ground, holding placards and raising slogans against the performance. Following this protest at the venue, the organisers called off the show. Notably, no other artist's performance was cancelled during the festival, which was organised by the Tourism Department of Rajasthan.
Official Responses and Political Accusations
Indian Express sent a message to Udaipur Collector Namit Mehta, but he did not respond. ADM Jitendra Ojha stated he had no knowledge regarding the cancellation of the program. Former NSUI District President Mohit Nayak termed the invitation to Turkish artists "completely wrong," asserting that Turkey has supported Pakistan on international platforms and engaged in anti-India activities.
Nayak alleged that allowing such a performance on the "sacred land of Mewar" was unacceptable and accused the Rajasthan government of supporting the event, calling it an example of the BJP's "double standards." He claimed that organisers had earlier assured the group that no events involving Turkish artists would be held in the future.
"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," Nayak said.
The festival, marking a decade of cultural exchange, continued with other international acts, but the incident highlighted tensions over geopolitical issues influencing cultural events in India.
