Earlier this month, singers Sonu Nigam and Babul Supriyo had a heated battle of words at music director Aadesh Srivastava's birthday party at the surburban Hotel Sun-n-Sand located in Juhu.

The argument was sparked off by a disagreement over the issue of royalty earned on songs — a dispute that has been going on between music companies.

Now Babul Supriyo comes his take on the entire episode and this is what he has to say:

"I've the highest regards for Sonu. He was at one time my best friend in Mumbai. Today things seem to have soured irreversibly between us. What happened at Aadesh Shrivastava's birthday party was the last straw.

The fight goes back to the copyright act for musicians. At a meeting of the musicians' association on September 3. I felt Sonu, Javed Saab and others were getting excessively idealistic and melodramatic by calling us singers bonded labourers. Once upon a time Lataji fought to get singers a share of royalty for every recorded song. Mohd Rafi Saab had opposed her stance.

Today when Sonu claims to have taken over Lataji's fight I realize how Rafi Saab must have felt . I agree we singers need to unite to fight for better payments. But we can't twist producers' arms for money. I sang my title song in Hum Tum for just Rs 7.000. And I've no regrets. It was a turning point for me. Sonu himself says he sang for Kal Ho Na Ho for free. Why?

When he insists on royalty what sense does it make to sing for a big producer like Karan Johar for free? Why not charge the people who can afford it, and instead give some poor producer a free song? Sonu doesn't know it but a lot of the singers who pretend to support him on the royalty issue actually snigger behind his back. He calls us singers bonded labourers. Why should that be so?

Anyone who backs our talent is good enough to support us. That's why we are all running after Yash Chopra. If Rakesh Roshan asks me to sing for a show I can't tell him to put Rs 3 lakhs on the table first. He pulled me out of the doldrums and changed my career with Kaho Na...Pyar Hai.

Today if someone offers Abhijeet Sawant a chance to sing for a film like Hum Tum / Kal Ho Na Ho or Rs 1 crore, which would he choose? If I choose to sing for fame rather than money it doesn't mean Sonu can call me names like traitor and bad mango. I kept quiet all the time.But enough is enough"

"That day at Aadesh's party, all hell broke loose. Abhijeet, Shaan, Alka Yagnik and I were talking in a corner. I was speaking my heart freely to Alkaji's brother Bunty who's a friend . I was telling him that this royalty issue is null and void since any singer can quietly sign up for any deal with a big producer without anyone being wiser.

The next thing I knew Alkaji marched up to Sonu to inform him of our conversation. Before I knew it, Sonu came charging at me. Sonu is aggressive and argumentative. Of late it's become impossible to speak to him as a friend. And I can't be anyone's chamcha.

We started falling apart from the time when he spoke excessively at the Zee awards. I thought it was unnecessary. And then in Love In Nepal he was showing his finger in promos. At Lataji's function he made a remark that if he was younger he'd have married her. Why?

Our voice is God's gift. Sonu ko to logon ne falaq be bitha liya.

I was struggling to shrug off the Kumar Sanu tag until Hum Tum. A gentleman is someone who disagrees without being disagreeable. That evening at Aadesh's party Sonu heatedly gesticulated at me and Abhijeet...He started hurling maa-bahen ki galiyan at me. To cover up I asked the deejay to play louder music. Then I left. Please understand, I'm not against the singers getting royalty.

But every artiste's struggle is individual. Madonna has written that she slept her way to the top. Some of us weep our way to success. If Amitabh Bachchan can ask Yash Chopra for Mohabbatein why can't I ask Aditya Chopra for a Hum Tum without discussing money?

My company Tips has spent 50-60 lakhs to promote my new album. I can't be obnoxious with them by making counter-demands...And look at the kind of SMS Sonu is sending. He has gone on live radio to lambast me . What has happened to him? He cannot harm my career. He's a great and super-singer singer. If I'm good no on can stop me. I'm not in competition with him."