Talha Anjum vows to ‘do it again’ after backlash over draping Indian flag

Pakistani rapper Talha Anjum has sparked a social media storm this weekend after he waved and draped himself in the Indian flag during a performance in Kathmandu, Nepal,

The rapper was performing Kaun Talha -a diss track aimed at Indian rapper Naezy – when a fan tossed the tossed the Indian tricolour toward him. Talha caught the flag, waved it, and then wrapped it around his shoulders.

Clips of the incident quickly went viral, drawing widespread criticism from Pakistanis online amid ongoing tensions with India, prompting Anjum to address the situation himself in an unapologetic statement.

“My heart has no place for hate. My art has no borders. If me raising an Indian flag sparks controversy so, be it. I’ll do it again. will never care about the media, the war mongering governments and their propagandas. Urdu Rap is and will always be borderless.” He wrote in his Instagram Story.

The move which could be a simple gesture of cross-border goodwill takes on a different meaning given the current Pakistan–India tensions.

Since the May conflict, Pakistani music has been pulled from Indian platforms and social media accounts of Pakistani celebrities and creators are also blocked.

Last year in December, Talha Anjum’s Indian tour was cancelled, citing organizational and financial disputes.