'Religious songs not allowed': Another Bengal singer alleges ‘harassment’ over choice of song at event

KRISHNAGANJ (NADIA): Days after a controversy erupted over alleged harassment for her choice of song by singer Lagnajita Chakraborty, another singer has spoken out against similar "harassment" on social media.

Folk singer Madhubanti Mukhopadhyay alleged that while she was performing at ‘Lalon Utsav' in Nadia's Krishnaganj on Sunday night, a man jumped up on stage, snatched her microphone and said that "caste-based or religious songs would not be allowed". The incident took place, the singer said, after she sang Shah Abdul Karim's ‘Tomra Kunja Sajao Go'.


Organisers intervened immediately, addressed the audience and said that the artist would perform songs of her own choice, adding that those who had any objection were free to leave the venue.

Mukhopadhyay later praised the organisers for handling the situation. She said she had not filed a police complaint since the organisers had helped her a lot. However, she expressed concerns over what she described as a growing trend of artists being targeted over the content of their performances.

"Music is a language of emotion. It should not be divided along religious or caste lines," Mukhopadhyay said on social media, warning that such objections, if normalised, could pose a serious threat to artistic freedom.

Speaking to TOI at her Uttarpara residence, Mukhopadhyay said she has been performing on stage for 18 years but has never had such an experience. "What happened at Nadia is despicable. The organisers, however, were extremely well-behaved and they stood by me after the incident," she said.

Organiser Gautam Biswas said he would not speak on the issue at the moment.



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