Synopsis
In a heated assembly debate, Tika Ram Jully, the Leader of Opposition, condemned the Rajasthan government for spending over Rs 100 crore on the IIFA Awards while disregarding essential funding for notable temples. He also highlighted the absence of prominent Bollywood stars and criticized the exclusion of singer Sonu Nigam from the event.Key Takeaways
- Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully questions state spending.
- Over Rs 100 crore allocated to IIFA, neglecting temples.
- Jully critiques guest list, noting absence of major stars.
- Sonu Nigam's exclusion raises controversy.
- Previous incident highlights disrespect towards artists.
Jaipur, March 12 (NationPress) In a recent debate on the Appropriation Bill held in the Assembly on Wednesday, the Leader of Opposition, Tika Ram Jully, expressed concerns regarding the state government's financial commitment to the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards.
He lambasted the state administration for designating over Rs 100 crore for this event, while purportedly overlooking necessary funding for significant temples such as Khatu Shyam Ji and Govind Dev Ji.
"You have spent over Rs 100 crore on IIFA but failed to allocate a similar amount for Khatushyamji and Govind Dev Ji. The process for IIFA was expedited like a Bullet train. Did you promote Rajasthan or merely the event itself?" Jully queried.
In a humorous remark about the IIFA guest list, Jully pointed out that no major Bollywood stars were present at the ceremony.
"Only Shah Rukh Khan was among the top-tier actors. When Madhuri Dixit's name was mentioned, I remarked that she has now become a second-tier actress. Her prime has passed," he commented.
He further criticized the absence of singer Sonu Nigam from the event.
"Sonu Nigam should certainly have received an invitation. What has changed in just a month? He was invited to the Investor Summit but excluded from IIFA. If anyone suggested it, that idea was disregarded," Jully stated.
The controversy intensified as Sonu Nigam took to social media to express his discontent.
After the IIFA Awards in Jaipur, the LoP denounced the event for failing to nominate Sonu Nigam for the Best Male Playback Singer for his track 'Mere Dholna 3.0' from 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3'.
On Tuesday, Sonu Nigam shared a screenshot of the IIFA nominations, pointing out the exclusion of his song and sarcastically thanking IIFA.
This situation also ties back to a previous incident where Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma and other Ministers exited his performance midway in Jaipur three months ago.
The singer had felt disrespected at that time, and his recent online post indicates an ongoing dispute.
Sonu Nigam shared a video on Instagram where he stated, "Delegates from across the globe came to uplift the pride of Rajasthan. There were a CM, a Youth Minister, and a Sports Minister present. Although many were there, I couldn’t see them due to the darkness. I later observed that the CM and others left. Once they departed, all the delegates followed suit. I urge all politicians, if you do not respect your artists, how can you expect the public to do so?" he added.
Sonu Nigam deemed it an insult to 'Goddess Saraswati' and 'art'.
