Following Diljit Dosanjh’s concert at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on October 26-27, the venue was found littered with trash, including alcohol bottles, sparking criticism from athletes who regularly train there. Middle-distance runner Beant Singh shared a video on Instagram, calling out authorities for allowing such misuse of the facility, which he says will now be closed for athletes for the next 10 days.

Singh also highlighted damage to athletic equipment, claiming hurdles and other items used by young athletes had been broken or scattered around. Expressing frustration, he stated, “Indian athletes have been shown their ‘aukat’ (status). This is a place for budding athletes to practice, but it was used for alcohol and partying. Due to this, the stadium is shut for 10 days.”

Singh emphasized his issue was not with Dosanjh but with the event organizers who had restricted stadium access even in the week leading up to the concert. He expressed disappointment at the lack of respect shown toward athletes in India, stating, “This is the state of sport, sportspersons, and stadiums in India. Every four years, people wonder why we don’t win medals, but there’s no respect or support here for athletes.”

Videos on social media show some athletes cleaning up the mess left by concertgoers, as the stadium hosts children in the ‘come and play’ scheme run by the Sports Authority of India (SAI). According to an agreement with Saregama India, the event organizers, the stadium must be restored by November 1, with cleaning expected to be completed by October 29 after a two-day event that drew 70,000 attendees.

Dosanjh’s ‘Dil-Luminati Tour 2024’ concert was well-received by fans for his powerful renditions of hits like 'Born To Shine' and 'Ikk Kudi,' with many attendees calling it an unforgettable night. However, several fans complained about poor venue management, citing chaotic entry and exit, lack of food and drink availability, and issues with ticketing. One attendee commented, “Diljit’s performance was fire, but the management was a complete fail.”

Allegations also arose about ticket scalping, with some fans claiming the organizers resold tickets at inflated prices. A Delhi-based law student has reportedly filed a legal notice against the event organizers, citing consumer rights violations.