T-Series removes Pakistani singer Atif Aslam’s new song from YouTube after MNS threat

The cine wing of Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has asked music companies to remove songs featuring Pakistani artistes from their YouTube channel following the Pulwama attack on 14 February that killed at least 49 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans.

“We have verbally communicated to Indian music companies like T-Series, Sony Music, Venus, Tips Music etc to not work with Pakistani singers. These companies should stop it immediately or we will take action in our own style,” said head of the MNS cine wing Amey Khopkar to the news agency PTI. The party had taken the same stand against Pakistani artistes following the Uri attacks.

Following the threat, music giant T-Series has removed a lot of songs from their YouTube channel that featured Paksitani artistes. This also includes their latest single ‘Baarishen’ which featured Pakistani singer Atif Aslam along with actress Nushrat Bharucha. The song, however, is available on the video sharing website as it is also uploaded by various users.

Meanwhile, chief advisor of the Federation of Western Cine Employees (FWICE) has warned producers of not working with Pakistani artistes. “Those producers who insist on working with artistes from Pakistan will be banned by the FWICE. We're officially announcing the inviolable diktat. All those music companies that still insist on using artistes from across the border in spite of repeated attacks on our country, should be ashamed of themselves. Since they are showing no shame, we will have to force them to back down,” he said while speaking to news agency IANS.