Strings attached in 'Marxist state'

By Staff
|
Google Oneindia News

New Delhi, Sep 28 (UNI) If the Union Home Ministry is to be believed, the ''Marxist state'' of Kerala is not ready for Pakistani rock music.

Popular Pakistani band Strings has been denied permission to perform in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram on October 1, because the Home Ministry thinks the Left-ruled Kerala is a ''Marxist and sensitive state''.

The seven-member band, which was to perform a 'peace concert' at the Trivandrum Engineering College, however, has been allowed to go to several other cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Bangalore and Pune.

According to Impresario Event Management Company, which was organising the Strings show in Thiruvananthapuram, the band was refused permission to visit the city when they applied for visa at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

''We approached the Union Home Ministry to find out why permission was not given to perform in Thiruvananthapuram and we were told by a senior official that Kerala is a Marxist and sensitive state,'' Mr Harish Babu, Managing Director of Impresario, told UNI from Thiruvananthapuram.

''This was a special show for the students and was part of their annual programme 'Dhwani 06' and we felt as the show was close to Gandhi Jayanti, we could have a Pakistani band fostering the message of peace,'' Mr Babu said.

The External Affairs Ministry said the band has not been denied visa to visit India. ''If they want to visit any place, they can apply afresh,'' a Ministry official said.

Strings had composed and played one of the songs in Sanjay Dutt-starrer 'Zinda'.

UNI RB/FZ HS HS1254

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