Following widespread social media outrage sparked by a viral video showing qawwal Rahat Fateh Ali Khan engaging in physical violence against one of his employees over a missing “bottle,” the singer has asserted that the bottle contained water blessed by a spiritual leader and that the incident was a private matter between him and his student.
Famous singer Rahat Fateh Ali khan beating his servent for bottle of Alcohol pic.twitter.com/9DZwYxgPmV
— Ghulam Abbas Shah (@ghulamabbasshah) January 27, 2024
In the video, which appeared to have been recorded clandestinely, Khan is seen slapping and punching a man while demanding to know the whereabouts of the “bottle.” In a fit of anger, Khan even pulls the man by his hair and throws him to the ground.
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Khan took to his official Instagram page to address the issue, stating that the victim of the assault was Naveed Hasnain, one of his students, and that the bottle in question held blessed water. He emphasized that the altercation was a private affair between a teacher and his student, explaining, “The bond between a teacher and student involves both affection and discipline.”
Hasnain corroborated Khan’s account, asserting that the bottle contained water blessed by a spiritual leader and admitting that he had forgotten where he had placed it. He defended Khan, describing the incident as an attempt to defame and blackmail his teacher.
Both Khan and Hasnain’s father denied allegations of abuse, framing the incident as a form of disciplinary action within the qawwal community. Hasnain’s father cited an anecdote involving another renowned qawwal as evidence of the respect teachers command in their field.
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Additionally, Khan refuted claims of mistreatment towards his employees by showcasing his long-serving driver, who attested to being treated with kindness and respect by Khan and his family for over four decades.
Khan expressed his intention to formally apologize to Hasnain once again, although he didn’t offer a direct apology on camera. “He’s my teacher, he’s like my father, fathers discipline their sons, it’s normal,” responded Hasnain.
“Those spreading false accusations of abuse should reflect on their own actions and consider their own cruelty,” stated Khan. Additional videos were uploaded to his official page, all reiterating similar sentiments, with Hasnain asserting that the violence directed towards him wasn’t an issue and suggesting it was an attempt to “blackmail” Khan.
Meanwhile, social media is flooded with indignation over the initial video and the subsequent series of response videos from Khan. Many are appalled by the violence depicted in the first video and the perceived lack of apology or regret in the subsequent ones.