The popular Pakistani-based rap band Young Stunners is facing backlash in India, where the hip hop duo was set to embark on a tour in December. The Karachi based band, which comprised of Talhah Younis and Talha Anjum, were set to embark on a three-city tour across India, starting with Mumbai on December 13, Bengaluru on December 21 and New Delhi on December 25. The band was to be joined with Karachi based producer Jookhay.
However, the band began trending on social media after Indian users brought up their past tweets in which the ‘Afsanay’ criticised the Indian prime minister Modi, as well as mocked the Indian Air Force Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman.
⚠️ALERT⚠️@SkillBoxIndia will organize an event where Pakistanis will given stage!
Talha Anjum, lead of Young Stunners is a hate monger who hates India from their core and made fun of our Army and our Country many times.
— Dr. Goutam Guha (@goutamguha10) August 3, 2024
Fck young stunners yaar
Inke show chhodo inko hi ban kar dena chahiye India mein (thread 🧵) (1) pic.twitter.com/NLTaBqldai— Ｄ∆ＲＫ (FIELD TRIP ERA)💔 (@Darkislumdawg) July 31, 2024
Tweets have surfaced where Talha Anjum called for a free Kashmir, which has attracted backlash among Indian social media users.
Pakistan never had to fight for Kashmir, back then Jinnah said ‘Kashmir is gonna fall in our lap like a ripe fruit’ but Nehru was well equipped back then politically, militarily. Modi is a fool if he thinks it’s the same case now. Pak has always opted for freedom of Kashmiris. https://t.co/pgXvdING6Y
— Talha Anjum (@talhahanjum) August 11, 2019
After the outrage grew, the ticketing platform Skillbox, released a formal statement on their Instagram account where they announced that they would not support anyone ‘inciting violence or hate against India’.
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However, ‘Desi Disco Entertainment’ the organiser behind Young Stunner’s tour, has refuted claims that the tour has been cancelled, and had set up a different website for fans to register tickets.
Speaking to the Indian publication ‘The Print‘, Vaheed Khan, the head of Desi Disco, declared that the show would go on, and alleged the outraged was masterminded by a few individuals after the platform refuses to collaborate with a few internet handles.
“It is now personal. I will make sure the show happens and will not be bogged down by a few tweets..Many of these internet pages wanted a cut from the revenue and when we refused to put the logo [of these pages/companies], the tweets started surfacing. Half of the tweets are fake and have nothing to do with either Talha or Pakistan.”
Vaheed added that when the show dates were announced back in August 1, 16,000 registerations were completed in the first 12 hours.
He further claimed that most organisers were attempting to sabotage the show because they were shocked that a Pakistani-based rap band was performing in India.
“I wanted to change the music scene in India with this show. After Skillbox delisted it, we made our own website and the Mumbai show was sold out in three minutes. The shows will definitely happen.”
Despite the controversy, the ‘Karachi Chal’ duo has yet to make an official statement addressing the tours in India, or the controversy.
