Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan beats disciple with shoe, then apologises

A video featuring Pakistani singer, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, physically punishing a man with slippers has circulated widely on social media. The video shows Khan, dressed in a dark kurta, repeatedly striking the man while questioning him about a missing bottle. 

The now-viral video was shared on X (formerly Twitter) by senior journalist Ghulam Abbas Shah. "Famous singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan beating his servant for bottle of alcohol," Shah wrote on X while sharing the video. 

The video triggered netizens as they condemned the singer for his behaviour towards his servant. "Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan beating his servant. He may be a good singer but he is a pathetic human being," a user noted. 

"He should be ashamed of himself but he will repeat this and don't know what all he has done before," another user said.

"'Bottle kahan hai?' Singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan beats his house staff member over one missing bottle of wine. Money and fame can be earned through hard work, but ethical values cannot be taught,"  yet another user noted. 

"Rahat Fateh Ali Khan issued a clarification justifying his viral video, There was Holy Water in the bottle, not Alcohol ! It seems he is compelled the house help to speak words in his favor after the viral video. What say?"

Singer Chinmayi Sripaada also condemned the incident and called it "horrendous".

"Some of these people behave like such gentle, soft-spoken souls in public, one would never think they'd be capable of such inhumane behaviour. If only cameras existed earlier- more of those we celebrate as so called greats would have never been exposed for what they actually were to other people. Horrendous," Sripaada wrote in her post. 

A subsequent video revealed Khan explaining that the man, his student, had made an error and was consequently disciplined, but an apology was also extended to him. 

The victim, who had lost a bottle of 'dam kiya huwa pani' (holy water), supported his 'ustad' (teacher) saying that those spreading the video are attempting to tarnish Khan's reputation. 

He further stated that there was nothing inappropriate about a father figure disciplining his son and accused those creating controversy over the video of attempting to blackmail his teacher. 

“Ustad ji came and apologised to me. He is my father, murshid, guru and there is nothing wrong in a father punishing his son. Creating a controversy over this video is a way of blackmailing my ustad," he said.

The victim's father, standing beside Khan, also expressed that a master disciplining his disciple is not wrong. 

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