New Delhi: Varun Dagar, a former ‘India's Best Dancer’ contestant was recently beaten up by the Delhi Police and a few bystanders on Tuesday. A video of the same incident went viral on social media yesterday. Recently, the dancer-singer spoke to indianexpress.com about the incident and shared that it left him shaken. Varun also added that he would let the incident affect his love for his craft.
In an interaction with the publication, Varun shared that he was performing at Delhi's Connaught Place at his usual place when the incident transpired. "Because it has happened multiple times in the past, I did not pay much heed. And like most days, a few of us asked them how they can stop us if it’s not an illegal act. The audience was cheering and hooting for us and that may have angered them. The officers immediately got into action mode."
Varun shared that he has been stopped from performing earlier as well. Varun also said that it was not the police's reaction which left him disturbed but that of the parking authorities. He said one of them held him by the collar and the other took his guitar. He was dragged publicly and then put into the police van. "I was hit by them, pulled by my hair. I was treated like a criminal,” Varun said.
The performer also added that he recognises the faces of the police officers who man the area and this time they looked different. “I know the faces of the officers who man the area. These were different ones. Also, who has given the right to these parking people to hit locals? This was so uncalled for and it has left me really hurt."
Varun Dagar was later taken to the police station forcibly where he had to give in writing that he would not perform again on the street.
Varun also shared a clip of the incident on his official Instagram handle with a long post in Hindi which spoke out how it all happened.
The former India's Best Dancer contestant also told the publication that will not let this incident affect him deeply, "Honestly, I don’t want to get deeper into this. Also, I don’t want this incident to affect my love for my craft. I have been one of the first few to perform live on the streets and I want this to become bigger. I understand that a lot of people may be exploiting the medium but it’s also the place where true art finds a platform. I can only hope and pray that people give us a chance to showcase our talent. We have no other ulterior motive.”