Punjabi singer Maninder Buttar has challenged Uttarakhand cabinet minister Subodh Uniyal to release the complete recording of his 2019 concert after the politician reportedly claimed he was beaten during that visit. In an Instagram Live session on October 26, the singer said he was shocked and hurt by the remarks, especially because they mentioned his father. His response was widely reported on October 27.

The allegation surfaced during the minister's public confrontation with veteran singer Daler Mehndi at a religious-cultural fair earlier this month. Whether any assault took place in 2019 remains unverified; the singer disputes the claim and wants viewers to judge the original footage themselves.

Maninder Buttar Recounts His 2019 Uttarakhand Concert

Speaking about the earlier event, the singer said he had performed in Uttarakhand for about 90 minutes before an audience he estimated at 6,000 to 7,000 people. He recalled a minister coming onstage, presenting him with a traditional Pahadi cap and leaving him to finish the performance wearing it. As reported by Hindustan Times, he said the concert went smoothly and that he could not reconcile his recollection with the claim that he had been assaulted.

Maninder Buttar also denied any misconduct or performing under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants. He said he had performed across India without intentionally insulting audiences and had tried to keep his family away from public disputes. These are his descriptions of the event. The full 2019 recording was not available for independent review in the reports examined.

How Daler Mehndi's October 18 Performance Sparked the Dispute

The controversy began at the Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair in Uttarakhand on October 18. During a performance, Subodh Uniyal went onstage and questioned whether the invited singer was performing live and whether he was fit to continue. Videos of the confrontation circulated online. The minister alleged that the performer appeared intoxicated and was lip-syncing. Those allegations have not been independently substantiated. The singer's family disputed the suggestion that he had been drinking.

According to The Indian Express, the minister referred to the 2019 concert during that exchange, asserting that an earlier Punjabi performer had been badly beaten. The reported remark became the focus of Buttar's latest response.

Mika Singh Criticises Remarks; Apology Claim Disputed

Mika Singh, the veteran performer's younger brother, publicly criticised the minister's language and demanded an apology. In an earlier statement reported by The Indian Express, he also highlighted the reference to the alleged 2019 assault.

The singer's team later claimed that the minister had apologised by phone. But on October 27, Subodh Uniyal denied having apologised and maintained that organisers should have been informed if a performer was unwell, according to India Today. Mika Singh has called for greater respect for artists at public events. His criticism of the minister should not be mistaken for independent confirmation of what happened during the earlier concert.

Will the Complete 2019 Recording Be Released?

Maninder Buttar says he wants the entire unedited performance made public, rather than excerpts or secondhand descriptions. A complete recording, if available and authentic, could help establish how the concert unfolded, although it would not necessarily prove everything that happened away from the camera.

As of October 27, the reports reviewed did not establish that the complete 2019 footage had been released or that an independent investigation had verified the alleged beating.

For now, the dispute rests on the minister's reported comments and the singer's denial. The unresolved issue is not whether a recent stage confrontation occurred — that was recorded — but whether reliable evidence supports the separate allegation about an event seven years earlier.