Electronics brand boAt made headlines today, September 19, by officially retracting its sponsorship of the upcoming India tour of the renowned Canada-based singer-rapper Shubneet Singh, popularly known as Shubh. This decision has been taken in light of Shubh's alleged support for Khalistan, a controversial issue that has been straining relations between Canada and India.

The concerts of the 26-year-old artist were originally slated to take place aboard Cordelia Cruises in Mumbai from September 23 to 25. This abrupt withdrawal of sponsorship comes amidst escalating tensions between the two nations.

Trudeau has accused India of involvement in the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in the Canadian province of British Columbia.

In response, Canada expelled a senior Indian diplomat, Pavan Kumar Rai.

Later today (September 19), India retaliated by expelling a "senior Canadian diplomat" in a tit-for-tat move, giving them five days to leave the country.

India vehemently denied Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations, dismissing them as "absurd and motivated."

boAt's decision to withdraw its sponsorship is primarily rooted in Shubh's controversial actions earlier this year when he shared a distorted map of India on social media in solidarity with Khalistani terrorists.

In a statement released on their official social media channels, boAt reaffirmed its strong Indian identity and emphatically distanced itself from any association with Khalistan.

The company's statement read, "At boAt, while our commitment to the incredible music community runs deep, we are first & foremost a true Indian brand. Therefore, when we became aware of the remarks made by artist Shubh earlier this year, we chose to withdraw our sponsorship from the tour."

pic.twitter.com/zvWJTDfDOK

— boAt (@RockWithboAt) September 19, 2023

The public's response on social media played a significant role in influencing boAt's choice to end its sponsorship, with users tagging the company's Co-Founder, Aman Gupta, and questioning its support for an artist with controversial views.

Canadian pro-Khalistan singer Shubh to perform in a show sponsored by boAt in India

Shubh had earlier shared a distorted map of India, which didn't include J&K, North-East and Punjab.Dear @amangupta0303, Are you a nationalist only on social media and not in real life? pic.twitter.com/eKHg6z3DkO— Shimorekato (@iam_shimorekato) September 18, 2023

Just a few days ago, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth wing of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), took action against Shubh's upcoming event by removing promotional posters and urging fans and organisers to boycott his shows.

#WATCH | Mumbai, Maharashtra: Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) members remove posters for the upcoming event of Canadian Singer Shubh pic.twitter.com/KkbQvkj0FG

— ANI (@ANI) September 16, 2023

In the lead-up to the G20 summit, pro-Khalistani graffiti with slogans such as 'Delhi Banega Khalistan' (Delhi will become Khalistan) and 'Khalistan SFJ Referendum Zindabad' (Long live Khalistan SFJ Referendum) surfaced at several metro stations in the national capital. Delhi Police has initiated an investigation into this matter and is pursuing legal action.

In more than 5 metro stations somebody has written 'Delhi Banega Khalistan and Khalistan Zindabad'. Delhi Police is taking legal action against this: Delhi Police pic.twitter.com/T6U5myjZyv

— ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2023

Tajinder Singh Tiwana, President of BJYM, strongly voiced his opposition to Shubh's performance, declaring, "There is no space for Khalistanis who are the enemy of the integrity and unity of India. We won't allow Canadian singer Shubh to perform on the revered land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mumbai. If appropriate action is not taken, the organizers will have to face our opposition."

(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)

First Published:Sept 19, 2023 6:25 PM IST