After Kejriwal, Mamata invites Ghulam Ali to perform in West Bengal
New Delhi: Hours after Pakistani singer Ghulam Ali accepted Delhi Government's invitation to perform in the national capital in December, it was West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's turn to invite the celebrated ghazal singer to perform in her state.
Inviting Ghulam Ali, who’s events in Mumbai and Pune were cancelled in the face of threats by the Shiv Sena, Mamata Banerjee said "We do not condemn those who have protested against Ghulam Ali’s concert, but we ask him to accept our invitation to perform in WB."
Earlier in the day, the Delhi Chief Minister talked to Ghulam, Ali over phone and invited him to perform in the capital.
"Ghulam Ali Sahib, we are very big fan of yours. It was good talking to you now. Thanks for agreeing to do a program in Delhi in Dec," Kejriwal wrote on Twitter.
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Later, Ali said that he will be coming to Delhi in December, adding that he will go "wherever people invite me with love".
"Yes I have accepted the invitation and most probably I will be coming in December. I have always said that I will go wherever people invite me with love. I have been coming to India for the past 40 years. So, yes I am happy," Ali said just before leaving India.
Read: Sena lambasts Delhi, WB governments for inviting Ghulam Ali
Earlier in the day, Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra met the Pakistani singer in New Delhi after which the Chief Minister spoke to him over phone.
"Music has no boundaries. Music is the rhythm of the heart. Ghulam Ali concert can be held in Kolkata," West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had tweeted. "We will make all arrangements (for the concert)," she added.
In Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government while inviting Ghulam Ali to perform in the city had on Thursday said that "music, art and culture have no boundaries".
Culture Minister Kapil Mishra, who is also Tourism Minister in the Arvind Kejriwal government, had said the Pakistani singer was welcome to hold his concert here.
The minister alleged that an attempt is being created to "vitiate" the atmosphere in the country on the basis of religion, caste and boundaries.
