Two months after saying he'll never come back to India, Ghulam Ali will perform in Kolkata

Kolkata: Pakistani ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali, who was stopped from performing in Mumbai in 2015, is all set to perform in Kolkata on 12 January, 2016, revealed TMC national spokesperson Derek O’Brien.

#Kolkata #Breaking Ghulam Ali and his son to perform in the city on Jan 12 at Park Circus Maidan. Colleagues doing presser at 3.30

— Derek O'Brien | ডেরেক ও'ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) January 5, 2016

Pete Seeger performed at a peace concert at Park Circus Maidan #kolkata in the early 1960s. The music plays on... 2016 Jan 12 Ghulam Ali

— Derek O'Brien | ডেরেক ও'ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) January 5, 2016

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in October 2015 year had offered to host the concert of the ghazal singer after the event was cancelled in Mumbai in the face of Shiv Sena threats.

Shiv Sena had then threatened to disrupt the programme warning that no artiste from Pakistan will be allowed to perform in the city till terror emanating from across the border is stopped. Ghulam Ali had in November 2015 said that he has cancelled all his concerts in India and he will never come back to the country .

Ali and his son Aamir will perform at the inaugural programme of Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (MDFC) trade fair named Milan Mela.

“After the Mumbai concert was cancelled our chief minister Mamata Banerjee wanted him to perform in Kolkata and so we followed it up with him and invited him to perform at our function. He has written back confirming his presence,” MDFC chairman and Trinamool Congress MP Sultan Ahmed told PTI.

MDFC functions under the Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department whose minister in-charge is Banerjee herself.

The ghazal maestro will arrive in Kolkata on 11 January and will perform at Park Circus Maidan under tight security. The chief minister is also expected to be present, officials said.

PTI