Singer Papon cancels Delhi show, says his home state Assam is 'burning' over CAB
Mumbai, Dec 12: Singer Papon on Thursday pulled out of a music show in Delhi, saying he would not be able to entertain fans when his home state Assam was "burning, crying and under curfew" over the passage of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Parliament.
The singer, best known for songs such as "Moh moh ke dhaage" and "Jiyein kyun", was scheduled to perform in the capital on Friday.
Papon also apologised to his fans on Twitter for the last-minute cancellation, saying he would not be able to cater to the audience in this disturbed state of mind.
"Dear Delhi, I am very sorry but I have decided not to do the concert tomorrow at 'imperfectoshor' as planned! My home state Assam is burning, crying and under curfew! I won't be able to entertain you the way I should in my present state of mind!" the singer said.
Papon, whose real name is Angaraag Mahanta, said the state has been burdened with "illegal immigration" for decades and the people of Assam need to heard properly.
"It's painful to see the way Assam is burning! Humanity is suffering! Assam has been burdened with illegal immigration for decades! We don't deserve this! The diverse, complex mix of the Assamese culture and people and their existence needs to be understood! We need to be heard properly," he said.
The singer hoped the organisers of the event will honour the sales of the sold tickets at some other point of time.
"I know this is unfair on you as you had bought tickets and planned long ahead. I am sure the organizers will take care of that in someway and as promised I'll see you all on another day in future! I hope you will understand," Papon said.
Assam has been witnessing unrest in the wake of protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which was passed by Parliament on Wednesday.
The proposed amendments seek to grant citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan facing persecution there. Guwahati, the epicentre of anti-CAB protests, was placed under indefinite curfew on Wednesday night while the Army was called in at four places.
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IPL Retention: Kohli drops his hints of completing 20 years with RCB till 2027
Bengaluru, Nov 2: Virat Kohli has dropped elaborate hints that he would like to continue playing competitive cricket till 2027 with an aim to complete 20 years with Royal Challengers Bengaluru after being retained by the franchise for a hefty fee of Rs 21 crore.
Having entered the twilight zone of his illustrious career, speculations are rife about how long the 36-year-old would continue in top flight cricket having endured a prolonged lull for the last four years since the start of COVID-19.
Kohli has been playing for RCB ever since IPL's inception in 2008 and is the leading run-scorer in the competition, amassing over 8,000 runs at a healthy if not spectacular strike rate of 131.97, including eight hundreds and 55 fifties.
“At the end of this cycle, it is going to be 20 years that I am going to be playing for RCB and that in itself is a very, very special feeling for me," Kohli told 'RCB Bold Diaries' indicating that he aims to continue for at least another three years till 2027.
"I have never thought that I am going to play so many years for one team, but the relationship has truly become special over so many years.
He reiterated that he doesn't see himself playing for any other franchise.
“I don’t see myself anywhere other than RCB, and I am very happy that it happened. I am very excited that I got a chance to create a strong new squad in this auction, something that we are really looking forward to as a franchise, as a team," Kohli said in RCB's Bold Diaries video.
He also pondered on the fact that he shared a close bond with the franchise and its fans, while his goal would be to win the elusive title.
“I am super excited as ever as everyone knows what RCB means to me. It’s been a very, very special relationship over so many years, which continues to grow stronger, and what I have experienced playing for RCB is truly special. I hope that the fans and everyone who’s connected to the franchise feel the same way," he continued.
"I am also just looking forward to this cycle. Obviously, the goal is to win the IPL title at least once in the next cycle."
He promised that RCB will leave no stone unturned to win their elusive IPL title.
“We are going to give it our best shot as always and try to make everyone proud of the way we play our cricket. A big shout out to the fans for your unwavering support over so many years. I am really grateful, really thankful,” Kohli concluded.
Kohli will be a key to RCB’s success: Andy Flower
Meanwhile, following Kohli's retention, RCB head coach Andy Flower admitted that while the retention itself is not surprising, he would be the key to RCB's success in the coming years.
"Virat’s retention won’t come as much of a surprise to anyone in India. He is and will be a key to RCB’s success in the future. He was sensational last year. He was one of the leaders who propelled us into the playoffs despite a poor first half of the season," he told JioCinema.
Besides Kohli, RCB has also retained two more players -- Rajat Patidar (Rs 11 crore) and Yash Dayal (Rs 5 crore).
As a result, RCB will have a purse of Rs 83 crore heading into the mega auction tentatively scheduled later this month.
The franchise would also contain three Right To Match (RTM) cards, allowing it to retain three more players (an uncapped player and two capped players, or three capped players).
Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Faf du Plessis and Cameron Green are among the top RCB players set to go under the hammer.
