KL Report
SRINAGAR
To host the India-born world famous conductor of Western classical music, Zubin Mehta and his musicians, a fleet of 50 BMWs has been kept on standby for the 150-strong contingent of musicians and their staff who will land in Srinagar on Thursday in a chartered plane from Munich.
The report published in DNA informs that all arrangements for Saturday’s concert are proceeding smoothly. The concert, to be held in the Shalimar Gardens in the foothills of the scenic Zabarwan Hills, will be telecast live in 24 European countries.
Both the Bavarian State Orchestra and Mehta have waived their fees for the concert, as per the organizers.
Organised by the German embassy, the home affairs ministry and a host of NGOs, the Ehsaas-e-Kashmir (Feeling for Kashmir) concert has drawn widespread opposition. Civil society groups, the local literati, ruling National Conference and opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party have criticised it. A civil society group plans a parallel counter-concert Haqeeqat-e-Kashmir (Truth of Kashmir).