BookMyShow, the leading online ticketing platform, has officially cancelled the much-anticipated India tour of Canada-based singer-rapper Shubhneet Singh, popularly known as Shubh, on Wednesday (September 20). The cancellation was prompted by mounting public pressure on social media, with numerous voices demanding the termination of Shubh's tour due to allegations of his affiliation with Khalistani elements.

While BookMyShow's official statement did not explicitly state the reason behind the cancellation, it did confirm that the "Singer Shubneet Singh's Still Rollin Tour for India stands cancelled."

Singer Shubhneet Singh’s Still Rollin Tour for India stands cancelled. To that end, BookMyShow has initiated a complete refund of the ticket amount for all consumers who had purchased tickets for the show. The refund will be reflected within 7-10 working days in the customer's…

— BookMyShow (@bookmyshow) September 20, 2023

The company also assured all ticket holders that it would initiate a complete refund process. The refunds are expected to be processed within 7-10 working days and will be returned to the original transaction source.

Shubh, a 26-year-old artist originally hailing from Punjab, had a packed schedule for his India tour, which was initially set to kick off in Mumbai from September 23-25. Subsequent performances were planned in 11 other cities, including Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Kolkata, among others.

The controversy over Shubh erupted earlier this year when he posted an Instagram story displaying a distorted map of India that notably excluded both Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

This omission triggered widespread outrage, particularly during a period when Indian authorities were conducting a crackdown on Khalistan supporter Amritpal Singh and his associates, who were later arrested. Singh led a group known as 'Waris Punjab De' and is currently incarcerated in Assam's Dibrugarh.

Additionally, tensions between India and Canada have been escalating in recent weeks. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, on September 19, accused India of involvement in the June killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian national and a vocal advocate for Khalistan.

Additionally, Canada also expelled a senior Indian diplomat, Pavan Kumar Rai.

Nijjar had been designated as a terrorist in India. India vehemently denied these allegations and, in a retaliatory move, expelled a high-ranking Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move, giving them five days to leave the country.

The cancellation of Shubh's tour follows close on the heels of electronics brand boAt officially retracting its sponsorship of the tour.

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

(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)

First Published:Sept 20, 2023 5:30 PM IST