Singer Shubh Expresses Disappointment Following Cancellation Of India Tour Over Map Controversy

Canadian-based Punjabi singer Shubhneet Singh, also known as Shubh, expressed his disappointment after his planned tour in India was canceled amid allegations of supporting Khalistan. In an Instagram post, Shubh expressed being “extremely disheartened” by the tour’s cancellation, as he was eager to perform in his home country.

The cancellation of Shubh’s tour was initiated by BookMyShow after it faced a boycott call on social media. This boycott was triggered by Shubh’s earlier Instagram post in January, where he shared a distorted map of India, excluding regions like the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Northeastern states. He captioned the post with “Pray for Punjab,” which led to substantial criticism on social media. Subsequently, Shubh deleted the map and replaced it with a message that simply read “Pray for Punjab.”

Shubh defended himself, stating that his intention in resharing the post was solely to express concern for Punjab due to reports of electricity and internet shutdowns in the state. He claimed there was no malicious intent behind the post, and he did not intend to hurt anyone’s sentiments.

Following the controversy, Indian cricketers, including Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Hardik Pandya, unfollowed Shubh on Instagram.

It’s important to note that this incident occurred amid strained relations between India and Canada. Canada recently accused India of involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June and expelled an Indian intelligence chief in retaliation. India rejected these allegations as “absurd” and “motivated,” subsequently expelling a senior Canadian diplomat with a five-day notice to leave the country.