The Maharashtra excise department canceled the permit to serve liquor at Diljit Dosanjh’s concert, scheduled on November 24 at Kakade Farm in the Kothrud area of Pune, leading to last-minute cancellations. The decision came amid protests by local organizations. The youth wing of the Nationalist Congress Party, BJP leader Chandrakant Patil, and several residents staged protests.
SP CB Rajput of the Excise Department said the owner of the venue raised an objection for which the permit was issued. Requesting cancellation of the liquor permit. Based on this request, the department decided to withdraw permission to serve liquor at the concert. The organizers were immediately communicated about it.
This concert has attracted opposition from NCP Pune President Deepak Mankar. Open sales of liquor, loud noise, and traffic jams are issues he is apprehensive about. He has demanded a cancellation of the show forthwith, threatening protests in case the program materializes as scheduled. He said the NCP opposed the event that would damage the cultural environment of Kothrud.
Senior BJP leader Chandrakant Patil also rejected the concert- not because of the sale of liquor. But because of the traffic and noise it would cause. Local MLA Patil sent orders to the Police Commissioner, Excise Department, and District Collector to cancel the event. He termed the event as “a pest in society”.
The organizers scheduled the concert to start on Sunday at 7 pm at the open ground of Suryakant Kakade Farms in Kothrud. A section of protesters also complained about sound pollution due to the number of loudspeakers used at the event. And demanded a complete cancellation of the concert.
Early this month, Diljit Dosanjh said something about alcohol in his songs during a concert in Ahmedabad. He assured that he would not make any more songs on alcohol if all the states of India announced themselves as ‘dry states’. Even he pulled a leg over revenues generated through alcohol.
Meanwhile, Diljit’s Dil-Luminati Tour continues with shows in Kolkata on November 30, Bengaluru on December 6. Indore on December 8, Chandigarh on December 14, and Guwahati on December 29.
ANI