Article on Abhijit banning Pak artistes

not sure if it was posted here before.. I have been hearing about Abhijit banning Singers from Pakistan etc.. This was the article published in 2003 when Jagjit Singh received Padma Bhusan....

moderators.. you can close it if it is not right place to post..

for ban on Pak artistes

New Delhi, April 3
Eminent ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh and singer Abhijeet today met Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani to protest against the "cultural invasion" by Pakistani singers and demanded that like cricket matches this "unilateral exchange" should also be banned as it was a "conspiracy of the enemy country."

Jagjit Singh, who received the Padma Bhushan today for his excellent contribution to the field of music, told reporters here that the Home Minister's response to their 'concern' was positive, but Mr Advani said "dirty politics" could come into play if the government took a tough stand on the issue.

Mr Advani gave them a patient and sympathetic hearing.

"Mr Advani said I am concerned," he added.

Pointing out that Pakistan did not allow Indian artistes to visit that country, and if they visited through "backdoor", as happened in the case of Jagjit Singh who was invited by the Indian Embassy there, they are constantly followed by ISI agents and told to leave the country at the first possible opportunity.

While the Indian Government's policy was to invite and give red carpet treatment to any singer or artiste coming from Pakistan, it was just the opposite "with us" there.

Protesting against this double standard, Mr Abhijeet said "This is a matter of national dignity. It is not a controversy. The complaint is against the government policy."

Indirectly hinting at the huge popularity of Adnan Sami in the country and the favourable treatment being granted to him by the music companies and industry here, Mr Abhijeet said, "Nobody asks any question from a person coming from the "enemy country", whereas we are officially "unwanted" there. UNI

exactly my point!!!! tfs. the article was great!!!

Originally posted by: jigglypuff726

just because pakistan doesn't allow indian singers over there, why should india follow in that country's footsteps & ban pakistani singers from india? two wrongs DO NOT make a right.🙂 isn't it an indian's policy that we welcome even our enemies with open arms? why should we show partiality in this issue or are all those quotes just for show?

a singer is a singer. no matter where he/she is from. they are also human beings like us. just because they are pakistani doesn't mean they've got blood of a different colour.

But artists have performed there! Akshay Kumar went, so did Shilpa Shetty and singers such as Alka Yagniik, Sonu Nigam and Abhijeet. And their performance were very much publicized....no hush hush thing about it. But if there is such policy in Pakistan, they should change it because it's silly. Cultural exchange is important and should be both ways. They've started to show Indian films in the cinema now so hopefully we will see more positive change🙂

Originally posted by: aaliya007

But artists have performed there! Akshay Kumar went, so did Shilpa Shetty and singers such as Alka Yagniik, Sonu Nigam and Abhijeet. And their performance were very much publicized....no hush hush thing about it. But if there is such policy in Pakistan, they should change it because it's silly. Cultural exchange is important and should be both ways. They've started to show Indian films in the cinema now so hopefully we will see more positive change🙂

hmmm....its a pretty sensitive issue. Its definetly easier for a pakistani artist to make his entry into India than the other way round. But at the same time what makes our country great is that we know how to look beyond these boundries and make a headstart at friendship.

Originally posted by: jncblr

hmmm....its a pretty sensitive issue. Its definetly easier for a pakistani artist to make his entry into India than the other way round. But at the same time what makes our country great is that we know how to look beyond these boundries and make a headstart at friendship.

At the same time I think we should not be crazy about "foreign talent" unless there is something exceptional in them . There are many Pakistani singers who are actually quite mediocre and I don't see why the music director really go through all that trouble to get them, when we have better talents in the industry. On the other hand there are exceptional talents such as Shaukat Fateh etc ...who really have a mark of their own.

Bottom line...its easier for us to sit here and comment on these issues but the perspective does change if we were standing in line competing with other talents within our country and now out side of our country as well. We have way too many talented people competing for the slice of the pie here.

Originally posted by: jigglypuff726

just because pakistan doesn't allow indian singers over there, why should india follow in that country's footsteps & ban pakistani singers from india? two wrongs DO NOT make a right.🙂 isn't it an indian's policy that we welcome even our enemies with open arms? why should we show partiality in this issue or are all those quotes just for show?

a singer is a singer. no matter where he/she is from. they are also human beings like us. just because they are pakistani doesn't mean they've got blood of a different colour.