Haryanvi artistes come out in support of singer Mittal

Gurugram, Jan 29 (IANS) Haryanvi artistes on Sunday came out in support of singer Rocky Mittal, who was "wrongly" removed as the Publicity Advisor to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar over a week ago.

Haryanvi singer Satyawan Kaushik, choreographer Love Kumar and Rajiv Chauhan said his removal was an insult to artistes.

A few congress leaders, including party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, state spokespersons from Aggarwal and Vaishya Samaj and leaders from Youth Aggarwal Samiti have also condemned his removal.

"Mittal was targeted for his fight against corruption and he must be re-appointed and a probe should be ordered into his corruption allegations," said leaders of the Aggarwal community to which Mittal belongs.

Mittal sang songs in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the last Lok Sabha elections and later in support of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Haryana assembly elections.

Mittal was appointed the Chief Publicity Advisor to Chief Minister Khattar and Publicity Advisor Member for the year-long Swarn Jayanti celebrations in the state, which were kicked off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Gurugram on November 1 as Haryana completed 50 years of its formation as a separate state.

Mittal alleged that a few senior Indian Administrative Service officers swindled funds meant for the event.

Mittal also called a press conference in Gurugram on January 19 and alleged that the Haryana Chief Minister was surrounded by a few "corrupt bureaucrats" appointed to "prime posts" during the regime of previous Congress government in the state.

Mittal was removed from his post a day after making the controversial statement.

Reportedly, BJP MP from Kurukshetra Rajkumar Saini has also come in the singer's support.