After Muslim leader Syed Sha Atef Ali Al Quaderi announced on Tuesday that anyone who shaved singer Sonu Nigam’s hair, put a garland around his head and toured him across the country would be awarded Rs 10 lakh by him, today Shahi Imam of Tipu Sultan Masjid, Syed Md Nurur Rahman Barkati has stood in support of Quaderi.

“I fully support what Quaderi had said yesterday and if Sonu doesn’t mend his ways I would be the next one to declare a fatwa against him,” Barkati, who is on a trip to New Delhi to meet President Pranab Mukherjee, told DNA over the phone.

He said that Sonu’s tweets were made in a bad taste. “He is a good singer and should stick to it. He should not interfere with religion. Azaan is very melodious and there should not be anything to complain about it. The hotel where I had put up in Delhi was in the vicinity of a temple and I used to hear the temple bells ringing from my room. I never thought of complaining. Sonu himself sings bhajans and other songs which are played at religious places. We don't object to those,” he said.

Referring to Sonu’s shaving off his hair today and conducting a press conference, Barkati said he was doing it out of depression. “I have been told that he suffers from depression. Today he has been asked to shave his hair and he did so. Tomorrow someone will ask him to take off his pants and he will oblige,” Barkati added.

The 43-year-old singer, continuing with the controversy which he kicked off with his tweet on Monday regarding being woken up by the sound of aazan, today shaved off his hair and conducted a press conference in Mumbai saying that he would like to have the award money of Rs 10 lakh which Quaderi had announced.

Quaderi, however, said that it was again a part of the publicity stunt. “Sonu had done it to gain publicity and he has got it. I had announced that whoever shaves his hair, puts a garland of old shoes and tours him around the country would get Rs 10 lakh. It seems Sonu has fulfilled one of the three conditions. Let him put a garland of shoes and go around the country, only then will I pay the money which I had announce,” Quaderi.