Ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali speaks to Subhash K Jha, and refutes reports that he will perform at the Lucknow Mahotsav on December 3.

Earlier, some media reports had claimed that the Lucknow administration had spoken to his son Aamir and had had gotten a confirmation.

Ali, who was scheduled to perform in Delhi on November 8, cancelled all his scheduled shows in India on Wednesday, saying he did not want to get involved in any kind of politics.

The singer was invited to perform in Delhi by the Aam Aadmi Party government after his show could not take place in Mumbai. Besides the AAP government, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had also extended an invite to the ghazal maestro to perform in Kolkata.

Are you performing at the Lucknow Mahotsava on December 3?

I am not doing any such thing! Where did this report come from?

But the district administration in Lucknow is reported to have made that announcement?

Maine abhi suna (I just heard). I have  not agreed to  come to Lucknow at all . I have no such plans nor have I made any such promises. Woh kha-ma-kha kissine keh diya hoga (Somone must have said this just like that).

So this is wrong news?

Bilkul ghalat khabar hai (this is absolutely wrong). It creates problems for me when such false news is spread. The announcement has been made without consulting me.

Someone must have spoken on my behalf without my authorisation. This kind of thing causes embarrassment for everyone. Yeh ghalat baat hai (This is wrong).