WB, Delhi govts offer to host Ghulam Ali after Sena forces Mumbai cancellation

Kolkata/New Delhi, October 8

The governments of West Bengal and Delhi today offered to host Pakistani ghazal singer Ghulam Ali's concert, saying music and culture have "no boundaries", a day after the event was cancelled in Mumbai in the face of threats by the Shiv Sena.

“Music has no boundaries. Music is the rhythm of the heart. Ghulam Ali concert can be held in Kolkata," West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is now on a visit to Bhutan, tweeted.

“We will make all arrangements(for the concert)," she added.

In Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) government while inviting Ghulam Ali to perform in Delhi said, "music, art and culture have no boundaries".

Delhi Culture Minister Kapil Mishra, who is also Tourism Minister in the Arvind Kejriwal government, said the Pakistani Singer is welcome to come to the national capital for holding his concert.

The minister alleged that an attempt is being created to vitiate the atmosphere in the country on the basis of religion, caste and boundaries.

"Sad that #GhulamAli is not being allowed in Mumbai, I invite him to come to Delhi and do the concert. Music has no boundaries. #BanTheBan (sic)," Mishra wrote on Twitter.

He said that putting restrictions on what one should wear, eat and listen to music is against democracy and there is need to oppose it.

"I feel that music, art and culture have no boundaries...restriction is being imposed on what one should wear, eat, listen to music and there is need to raise voice against it. In democracy, imposing restrictions is wrong," the Delhi Minister said. — PTI