Diljit Dosanjh Concert was organized on 20 October 2024 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (JLN Stadium), Delhi. Aaj Tak had filed an RTI with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) seeking answers on who funded this event and who was responsible for the management. Many important details have come to light from the information provided by the SAI in this regard.
Although this concert was a great success, it was mired in controversies for some reasons. The day after the concert, an athlete recorded a video with his mobile phone inside the JLN Stadium and uploaded it to social networks, in which dirt is seen scattered throughout the stadium. There were water bottles, chairs and other things scattered on the running track. Due to this, the players’ training was interrupted. According to information provided by the Sports Authority of India in response to Aaj Tak’s RTI application,…
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The concert was worth around 3 million rupees.
The booking fee for the concert was: ₹2,77,25,436. Security Deposit: It was ₹30,33,000. Organizer Saregama India was responsible for cleaning the stadium after the concert. Cleaning costs were borne by a supplier designated by the organizers. These figures show how much money was spent organizing this concert. But looking at the scenes that emerged inside the stadium after the event, it can be said that the organizers did not properly fulfill their agreement with the SAI and the SAI also did not fix its responsibility.
Garbage was scattered after the concert.
Videos and media reports shared by the players revealed that there was chaos in the stadium after the concert. The running track and stands were littered with trash, including beer bottles and food wrappers. The obstacles on the track were broken. Sprinter Beant Singh recorded a video inside the stadium and uploaded it on social media the day after the concert and expressed his displeasure over the chaos. This video of his had gone viral on the Internet. Beant Singh expressed his displeasure over the disruption of athletes’ training and lack of cleanliness in the stadium, calling it an insult to the athletes and the sport.
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Athletes’ training interrupted
Responding to Aaj Tak’s RTI, the Sports Authority of India said there was no impact on the training program of the athletes. However, athletes like Beant Singh disagreed with SAI’s claim, citing the closure of the main track for about 10 days.
According to Beant, athletes were forced to train on the warm-up track, which significantly affected preparation for the upcoming National Championship.
Liability and recovery of damages
The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) is currently assessing the damage caused to the stadium infrastructure. Whatever damage is caused, the maintenance cost will be recovered from the concert organiser, Saregama India. However, RTI revealed that no sanction has been imposed on the organizers so far. A fine may be imposed on Saregama India based on the cost incurred after damage assessment by CPWD.
