Kerala honoured Pakistani ghazal legend Ghulam Ali on Thursday, as Shiv Sena activists staged a demonstration near the venue in Kozhikode where the maestro is scheduled to perform on Friday.
He is in Kerala on invitation of social cultural organisation Swaralaya and programmes were arranged in association with Grand Kerala Shopping Festival Directorate.
In his acceptance speech, Ghulam Ali, whose concert in Mumbai had to be cancelled last year following protests by Shiv Sena said:
I am so happy today. I have not received so much love and affection before. “I started singing on stage 55 years ago, due to the love and affection shown to me, this day is very important for me. I am not a great singer. I am an ordinary singer. I enjoy hearing music, like I can sing also.
Kerela Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said it was a proud a moment for the people of Kerala and also a day that endorsed the rich secular traditions of the state.
He presented an Aranmula Kannadi (handmade metal-alloy mirror, made in Aranmula) as a token of love of the state to Ali, who was also honoured with the ‘First Swaralaya Global Legendary Award’, comprising a citation and a cash of Rs One lakh.
CPI-M veteran and leader of Opposition VS Achuthanandan, State Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, CPI-M State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and CPI-M politburo member M A Baby were among the large number of dignitaries present.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena in the state who had announced their plan to protest against Ali’s programme, held a demonstration near the Muscot Hotel, venue of the programme.
Police blocked the sena activists nearly 400 metres away from the venue, where they burnt an effigy of Ali, police said.
Shiv Sena had demanded cancellation of Ali’s programme in the wake of Pathankot terror strike. Last year, a scheduled programme of Ali was cancelled in Maharashtra following a protest by Shiv Sena. After that, he performed in Kolkata on 12 January.
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