Honey Singh himself cancelled the show, says manager

Everything’s not quite yo yo in the land of Honey Singh ever since the Main Hoon Balatkari singer’s Delhi New Year’s act was shut down. An FIR has been lodged against him for the song and many believed that the singer’s NYE performance was banned.
When we contacted Singh’s manager, he told us that it was the singer who cancelled the concert. Anup, Honey Singh’s manager, said, “Honey Singh himself cancelled the show.He didn’t want to perform because he knows that people are not in the mood to celebrate in the wake of this incident. As for the FIR, the song against which it has been filed is not his composition. We are going to take proper legal action.”
On the internet, one half of the Twitterati insists that this man’s clearly a misogynist, hell-bent on perpetuating rape culture, while the other half maintains that he’s an artiste entitled to his artistic license.
If you’re banning Honey, also ban Sunny
Comparing the banning of Honey Singh from performing in Delhi, to the banning of Salman Rushdie and MF Hussain, this side thinks it is a little preposterous to blame Honey Singh for rapes and a little Taliban-y to take away his artistic license. They say that it’s not like they love Honey Singh, but seriously, the man can’t be worse than a Snoop Dogg/Lion (watch India welcome him this month), a Sunny Leone or a 50 Shades Of Grey, or even Salman Khan.
Tweets:
I don’t understand how Honey Singh’s show gets cancelled, but Sunny Leone’s doesn’t. Don’t her previous “artistic endeavours” offend people? – @sandychandro
You think Honey Singh rapper is bad? You have not heard Snoop Dogg have you? – @SiddhuHamppagol
Accusing Honey Singh for rapes? Why dont you blame Salman Khan for murders happening all over the world.– @pramodGeek
Sing rap, not rape, songs
This side says that Honey Singh’s a part of the problem, and so are his listeners, especially the ones who drive around in cars with tinted glasses while mouthing his misogynistic lyrics. Sure, artistes are entitled to their freedom, but singing “I am a rapist, I am rapist” is not any form of art.
Tweets:
Pro-Honey Singh tweets are variations of this logic:
‘If you don’t like rape, look the other way’. Free speech bhashan by unpar gawars. – @shubhos
Had thought the fuss over Honey Singh was a bit out of hand, but now am really shocked. How COULD someone sing something SO obscene? – @nimishdubey
While you revolt against rape and rape culture, Honey Singh year-end concerts are running houseful in Delhi/NCR. – @snigdhapoonam
Honey Singh should realise that his vulgar lyrics really effect the minds of young people. It does no good to the society.– @imShatab
Raeth gig on NYE cancelled in Bhopal
Members of Sanskrti Bachao Manch stopped Pakistani band Raeth from performing on New Year’s Eve in Kashish Lake View, Bhopal, to express solidarity with the Delhi gangrape victim. The performance of a local band at the same venue was also cancelled by this group. Sunny Ghanshyam, lead guitarist of Reath, told us, “We got to know around 8.30 in the evening that the show had been cancelled. We don’t know the exact reasons for the cancellation of the show, but we were informed that the organizers were facing problems since noon and were being asked to cancel the show due to the recent death of the gangrape victim that happened in Delhi. Woh log kah rahe thay ki nanga naach bandh karein. Also, we heard that the event organizers were serving drinks without license.”