I’d love to come to India, but only if I can get a visa,” laughs Raghav Mathur, referencing the suspension of Indian visas for Canadian passport-holders amid the escalating tensions between the two countries, the repercussions of which have caused emotional and financial setbacks for Indian musicians based in Canada. While several Canada-based Indian musicians have defended their stance in the wake of discussion around the Khalistan movement, Mathur opines art and politics should be kept at arm’s length from one another.

“Social and moral issues as conveyed through art don’t always have to highlight politics. But, I would always fight against censorship. We should have enough sophistication, given the amount of information that we have access to, to be able to make up our minds and have differing opinions on what we believe [is the truth]. It is important to have that discussion openly, and art plays a big role in that.”