Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], December 28 (ANI): Responding to the BJP's allegation that popular playback singer Arijit Singh's show at Eco Park, Rajarhat in West Bengal was cancelled as the lyrics of his hit number 'Rang De Tu Mohe Gerua' has the word gerua (saffron) in it, state minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim on Wednesday said permission for the soiree couldn't be granted as it would have clashed with a scheduled event to mark India's G-20 Presidency.

Arijit had presented a rendition of the chartbuster in front of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, at the ongoing Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF).

Addressing an event in Kolkata, Hakim said, "The event marking India's G-20 Presidency will take place at the Convention hall, which is just opposite the Eco Park. Several foreign dignitaries are likely to attend that event."

The Kolkata mayor said the police felt that the programme could create a law-and-order issue.

"Huge crowds would have gathered for Arijit Singh's show and it would have been difficult to handle such volumes of spectators. The police rightly felt that conducting such a big event just opposite the Convention Hall could result in a law-and-order problem," he said.

The Mayor further said another event featuring actor Salman Khan also had to be cancelled.

"Owing to concerns about law-and-order problems, the events of Salman Khan and Arijit Singh had to be cancelled. Also, we didn't receive any application for the programme at Eco Park," he added. (ANI)