Assam State Film Awards controversy: Minister Pijush Hazarika blames producer for messing up singer's name

Assam cabinet minister Pijush Hazarika reacting to the Assam State Film Awards goof up where Nahif Afrin was wrongly awarded, said that it’s not the fault of the jury but the producer or director who messed up the singer's name.

Addressing the media on the issue, the minister said, "A form has been submitted to the jury signed by a person in which it was written Male playback singer as Zubeen Garg and Angarag Papon Mahanta and Female playback Singer as Nahid Afrin."

Further, the minister asserted that how would the jury know if the song was sung by someone else but not Nahid Afrin as the nomination filed by the producer or the director mentioned the singer's name as Nahid Afrin.

Also Watch: Assam State Film Awards controversy: Singer Nahid Afrin says she is innocent, did not expect errors from authorities

"It is not the fault of the jury or the state government," he added.

Reacting to the controversy BJP leader Atul Bora said, "Nahid has accepted the award as her name was called by the jury...but it's the fault of the person who has filed the wrong nomination."

Assam singer Nahid Afrin on March 13 conferred with Best Playback Singer recognition at the 8th State Film Awards ceremony for a song that she wasn’t actually a part of.

Nahid Afrin received the Pratima Pandey Barua Award for Best Background Singer (Woman) at the awards ceremony for the song ‘Neelate Luka Bhaku’ from the Nijanor Gaan movie.

The singer now clarified the matter via a Facebook video post after netizens alleged that she was aware of the fact that it was not her song but still accepted the award.

"There are controversies going on about me on social media platforms. I would like to clarify things right from the beginning. The results of the Assam State Film Awards were declared a few days ago. A jury member called me up and congratulated me.  After that, a list came up and my name along with the movie was mentioned in the list", Nahid said on March 14.

"Many people congratulate me for that including the organizers of the Assam State Film Awards. Therefore, I went there yesterday to collect the award. I was not aware of the song for which I was getting the award Because I sang a song for the Nijaanor Gaan movie, and I was actually not aware even the name of the song was mentioned in the middle of the stage", the Indian Idol fame further added.

"Everyone is now asking whether I was not aware of the fact while collecting the award and so on. Actually, I was not accepting any errors from the authorities. I was only concentrating on the words of the anchors.  I'm completely innocent".