UP: RLD chief makes singer perform party anthem three days after he was kicked off stage over it

Hathras (UP), Sep 18 (PTI) Three days after a singer was allegedly forced off stage at a local fair for performing a pro-Rashtriya Lok Dal song, party president and Union minister Jayant Chaudhary returned to the venue with the same singer, who performed the song in his presence.

On September 14, during a music event at Shri Dauji Maharaj Fair in Hathras, singer Andy Jaat performed the song "RLD Aayi Re" (The RLD has arrived). In the presence of BJP MP Anoop Valmiki, some party workers allegedly stopped the rendition and forced Jaat off the stage.

On Wednesday night, RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary arrived at the same fair, appearing on stage with Jaat, who once again sang the song.

Valmiki and BJP workers were present this time as well, but no protest was raised.

When asked about his visit, Chaudhary said, "This is my area, so I came to the fair." Singer Jaat said, "I came here to sing a song on behalf of the RLD." RLD leader Rohit Agarwal told PTI on Thursday that 'RLD aayi re' is no longer just a song. "It's an emotion that binds and enthuses the cadre. Anyone trying to tinker with this emotion would do well to realise that this won't be taken lightly. That is why our leader not only put up a post with similar lyrics but also climbed the same stage with the same singer at the same venue," Agarwal said.

When asked if he blamed the BJP cadre, Agarwal said, "As far as we are concerned, forcing the singer to climb down from the stage was in bad taste. The BJP MP was with Jayant Chaudhary when he visited the fair and the song was performed," he said.

The RLD, which was previously aligned with the Samajwadi Party, became a BJP ally before the 2024 general elections.

The Hathras Lok Sabha constituency, which was won by the BJP's Anoop Valmiki in the election, comprises three assembly segments: Sadabad, Hathras and Sikandra Rao.

Barring Sadabad that was won by the RLD in 2022, the remaining two seats are held by the BJP. The assembly segment where the fair was held falls in Hathras.

Interestingly, most functionaries of the fair were from the ruling party. PTI COR CDN MAN RUK RUK