NEW DELHI: Diljit Dosanjh’s fans can breathe easy as singer’s October 30 concert at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium has cleared a key hurdle. After an initial refusal over security concerns during the festive season, Delhi Police on Friday gave the show the green light.A detailed security plan and fresh discussions with Delhi Police helped clear the way for his concert, after the event was denied permission on Thursday over security concerns during the festive season.The concert, part of Dosanjh’s Aura India Tour, had been scheduled to kick off the India leg of his seven-city tour.Delhi Police granted permission after the organisers, BookMyShow Live, held meetings with officials and presented additional safety, traffic and crowd-management arrangements, news agency ANI reported.
Why was permission denied initially?
Eight days prior to Diljit’s scheduled concert, Delhi Police denied permission, citing specific threat-related inputs and security and law-and-order commitments during the ongoing festive season.In a letter responding to the organisers’ application dated October 14, DCP (South) Anant Mittal said the request to hold the event at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on October 30 could not be approved due to security concerns.Police were managing security arrangements across the capital during the festive period, alongside deployments for other public events and law-and-order duties, the letter read further.
What changed before the approval?
BookMyShow Live held discussions with Delhi Police and presented a detailed plan addressing the concerns raised by the authorities.The company said police had asked the organisers to put additional safety, traffic and crowd-management measures in place.In a statement issued on Friday, BookMyShow clarified that reports suggesting the concert had been cancelled were inaccurate.It said permission had been temporarily withheld and that this should not be confused with cancellation, ANI reported.“BookMyShow Live had a cordial meeting with Delhi Police, presented a detailed plan and has assured Delhi Police of full compliance with all security/traffic requirements,” the statement said.The company added that permission had been reconsidered and issued following the discussions.
A concert tour that has faced other hurdles
The Delhi setback is the latest in a series of challenges surrounding Dosanjh’s live performances.His previous India tour, Dil-Luminati, faced regulatory restrictions and protests in different cities in 2024.Ahead of his Hyderabad concert in November 2024, the Telangana government issued an advisory restricting songs promoting alcohol, drugs and violence, following a representation to the authorities.His Indore show also faced protests by Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad workers.In December 2024, Dosanjh said he would not perform live in India until the country’s concert infrastructure improved, raising concerns about facilities for large-scale shows.
Delhi show to open India leg of Aura Tour
The October 30 concert at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is scheduled to open the India leg of Dosanjh’s Aura Tour.The tour will then move to Indore, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Lucknow, before concluding in Chandigarh, where the concert date is yet to be announced.The initial denial had also drawn criticism from Aam Aadmi Party’s Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj, who alleged that the decision targeted artists who had spoken out on public issues.(With agency inputs)
