Punjabi-Canadian singer Shubh who was recently under fire for his alleged support for Khalistan got embroiled in a fresh controversy after he was seen on the stage holding up a hoodie with an illustration of Indira Gandhi’s assassination on the map of Punjab. The incident took place at a London concert on October 29. After receiving flak, Shubh said that the hoodie was thrown at him from the audience and he did not see what was there. “A lot of clothes, jewellery and phones were thrown at me by the audience at my first show in London. I was there to perform, not to see what got thrown at me and what is on it,” the singer said in a statement. “No matter what I do, some people will find something to bring it against me,” he added referring to the recent outrage against him in India following which his India tour was cancelled.

Amid the India-Canada diplomatic row following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegation that India had a role in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an old post of the singer surfaced. In that post, Shubh shared a distorted map of India without J&K, Punjab and the northeastern states. “Pray for Punjab,” the post said. “India is my country too. I was born here. It is the land of my Gurus and my Ancestors, who didn’t even blink an eye to make sacrifices for the freedom of this land, for its glory, and for the family. And Punjab is my soul, Punjab is in my blood. Whatever I am today, I am because of being a Punjabi. Punjabis do not need to give proof of patriotism. At every turn in history, Punjabis have sacrificed their lives for the freedom of this country. That’s why it’s my humble request to refrain from naming every Punjabi as a separatist or anti-national.”

The video of the London concert where Shubh was seen holding up the hoodie went viral and many social media users claimed he took a look at the artwork on the stage and then held it up. Some social media handles claimed that the hoodie was from Akaal Clothing who used the singer’s concert to promote anti-India message.

Bollywood actor, director, producer Kangana Ranaut criticised Shubh and said it was cowardly to celebrate the “killing of an old woman by those who she appointed as her saviours”. “When you are trusted to protect but you take advantage of the trust and faith and use the same weapons to kill the ones were suppose to protect then it’s a shameful act of cowardice not of bravery. One must be ashamed of such a cowardly attack on an elderly lady who was disarmed and unaware, a lady who was the chosen leader of a democracy, nothing to glorify here Shubham ji,” Kangana tweeted.