The Maharashtra excise department cancelled the permit to serve alcohol at actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh's Dil-Luminati concert, scheduled to take place on Sunday evening in Pune's Kothrud area.
The decision followed objections raised by various individuals, including newly elected BJP MLA Chandrakant Patil.
State excise commissioner C. Rajput confirmed the cancellation, stating, "The state excise department has cancelled the permission to serve liquor during the programme."
MLA Chandrakant Patil criticized the concert, asserting it was against the city's culture and would disrupt residents by causing traffic jams. "Such shows are not part of the city's culture. This will create a major disturbance for residents of the area. The event will also cause traffic jams. Hence, I have urged the city police commissioner to cancel the programme," the BJP leader said in a statement.
During his Dil-Luminati India Tour 2024, Diljit Dosanjh addressed growing criticism over alcohol-themed songs in his performances. At his Ahmedabad concert, held in Gujarat, a dry state, Diljit reassured the audience he would not perform songs referencing alcohol.
Taking a light-hearted jab, he said, "There's some good news. I didn't get any notice today. There's more good news: I'll not sing a single song on alcohol today either. Ask me why? Because Gujarat is a dry state."
Earlier, ahead of his Hyderabad concert, the Telangana government had sent him a notice urging him to avoid songs promoting alcohol, drugs, or violence. In response, Diljit adjusted the lyrics of popular tracks like Lemonade and 5 Taara, replacing references to alcohol.
The singer also emphasized he is a teetotaller and pledged to stop making songs about alcohol if states declare themselves alcohol-free. "Let's do something; let's start a movement. If all states declare themselves dry states, I'll stop singing songs on alcohol from the very next day... I will stop singing about alcohol, you shut the 'thekas' in the country... I take a pledge.
"Is this possible? It's a big source of revenue. Everything was shut in corona (pandemic), except the thekas. You can't fool the youth," he can be seen saying in a video shared on Diljit's official Instagram page.
