As nationwide outrage continues over the police lathi-charge on students during the Cockroach Janta Party’s protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, singer Armaan Malik has decided to hit pause on his music release. Disturbed by the ongoing unrest and the growing calls for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, the singer announced that he is postponing the launch of his upcoming song, saying that the current situation in the country does not feel like the right time to celebrate a new release.
Armaan Malik postpones song launch
On Tuesday, Armaan took to social media to announce that he was postponing the release of his upcoming song, Gaya Kaam Se. The track, which was originally scheduled to drop on July 22 to coincide with the singer’s birthday, has now been put on hold.
Explaining his decision, Armaan said he had poured his heart into Gaya Kaam Se, but the current atmosphere in the country did not feel right for celebrating a new release. Sharing his decision, Armaan expressed hope that his fans would understand and support his decision to wait for a more appropriate time.
In a video, Armaan is heard saying, “Hey everyone, this next song of mine, ‘Gaya Kaam Se’, I poured my heart into it and it is scheduled to release on 22nd of July which is tomorrow, which is also my birthday. But things just don’t feel right now and I feel like I want to wait a little longer and give it to you when the time feels right and when we’re in better circumstances. So yeah, I hope you understand.”
Armaan’s announcement comes against the backdrop of the ongoing stir surrounding the Cockroach Janta Party’s Chalo Sansad march to Parliament. Several Bollywood and television celebrities have spoken out in support of the students, expressing concern over the use of force during the protest march.
Before this, Armaan had come out to extend support to the students sitting on protest. At that time, he had shared a note on social media, writing, “I don’t claim to have all the answers, and I believe it’s important to understand every issue with care before speaking. But there are some values we should never lose sight of. Students deserve fairness. Peaceful protests deserve respect. Empathy should never be conditional, and dialogue should never be met with indifference. Our country and its people deserve to be heard. Always.”
Details
The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has been protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi since June 6, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities and leaks during the NEET exams. Activist Sonam Wangchuk joined them and began his indefinite hunger strike on June 28.
CJP called for a march from Jantar Mantar, where the protestors have been camped for a month, to the Parliament, attracting a huge response, with thousands descending on the designated protest site on Monday.
Police personnel on Monday used lathi-charge and tear gas shells, with the CJP alleging brutality and accusing the security personnel of “attacking” a truck which was carrying founder Abhijeet Dipke, activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali J Angmo, and actors Shabana Azmi and Prakash Raj. Around 50,000 protesters had taken to the streets on Monday to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Security forces also used tear gas near Shastri Bhawan after protesters attempted to push through barricades.
Heavy barricading continues at various areas in Delhi, including Parliament House and Rafi Marg, even as the Cockroach Janta Party continues its protest at the Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in NEET.
