#PulwamaAttack: T-Series removes Pakistani singers' songs from its YouTube channel
In the wake of the horrific Pulwama attack that martyred 40 CRPF jawans, music and film production company T-Series has unlisted Pakistani singers' songs from its YouTube channel, which is YouTube's second-most followed channel. The move comes in spite of the company's recent collaboration with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Atif Aslam for two different singles. Here are the details.
The Raj Thackeray-led MNS had demanded removal of Pakistani artists
Following the attack, the film wing of Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had asked music label companies, including T-Series, Sony Music, Venus, Tips Music etc. to stop working with Pakistani singers. Amey Khopkar, head of the MNS Chitrapat Sena had also warned that the party would take "action in [their] own style" if the music companies failed to heed its command.
MNS claims T-Series has heeded its warning
"They [T-Series] have removed their [Pakistani singers'] songs [from their YouTube channel] post our warning," Khopkar claimed.
Meanwhile, Navjot Singh Sidhu has been removed from 'TKSS'
This isn't the first time MNS has made such a demand - In the aftermath of the Uri attack, the Raj Thackeray-led party had demanded that all Pakistani artists leave India within 48 hours. Meanwhile, Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu was also ousted from The Kapil Sharma Show after the attack for his comment that Pakistan, as a nation, should not be blamed.
The horrific attack had taken place on Thursday
On Thursday, a CRPF convoy of 70 vehicles heading towards Srinagar came under attack in the Jammu-Srinagar highway. Despite the highway being well-guarded, an SUV laden with 350kg of explosives managed to ram into the convoy, triggering a massive blast. The blast reduced one bus to smithereens, and left several vehicles in the convoy severely damaged, making rescue efforts difficult. 40 jawans were martyred.
How India has responded to the attack
The responsibility for the attack was claimed by Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and US experts have said that Pakistan intelligence agency ISI could have had a hand in the attack. Responding to the attack, India has withdrawn the 'Most Favored Nation' status it had accorded to Pakistan in 1996. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised that Pakistan "will have to pay".
The international community at large condemned the attack
Following the attack, Russia condemned the attack, and the US called on Pakistan to stop supporting terror groups. While France strongly condemned the "heinous attack", Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promised to work with India to end the "menace of terrorism". Germany put forth its condolences and condemned the attack, as did Canada, Israel, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and the Czech Republic, to name a few.
Pakistan, however, has claimed innocence, saying that it's being framed
Despite damning evidence, Pakistan claimed that it was being framed in a 'conspiracy'. Experts from the country claimed that India was trying to tarnish Pakistan's image at a time when it was 'improving its global standing' under PM Imran Khan. Pakistan also said that the attack had been carried out by disgruntled Kashmiris because of dissatisfaction over the Indian Army's 'occupation' of Kashmir.
