Punjabi singers face scrutiny for glamourizing guns, liquor

| | Chandigarh
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Punjabi singers face scrutiny for glamourizing guns, liquor

Sunday, 16 February 2020 | Monika Malik | Chandigarh

Punjabi singers, it seems, just cannot keep themselves at an arm’s length from weapons and booze. They have been striking the chord with their targeted audience by eulogizing “guns” and “daaru” in their songs.

Their songs on arms and the man have, however, triggered a reaction by the social activists, cops, and the ‘saviors of culture’ who have been gunning for them, literally. They argue that such songs are ruining today’s younger generation.

The fact that the singers, especially Punjabi, have been shooting themselves on the foot is evident from the number of cases registered against the crooners during the past few years.

The latest in the list are Amrit Maan, Afsana Khan, Shubhdeep Singh alias Sidhu Moosewala and Mankirt Aulakh who have come under scanner for singing “objectionable” songs.

While a complaint was filed in Bathinda against singer Amrit Maan for glorifying guns through his 2018 song ‘Main te meri rafal rakaane combination choti da (my rifle and I are the best combination), singer Afsana Khan was also accused of singing “obscene” songs at a government school of which she is an alumnus.

Days before that, Moosewala and Aulakh were booked by Mansa police for allegedly promoting violence through a song uploaded on social media, “Pakhiyan, pakhiyan, pakhiyan …gun vich panj goliyaan, ni tere panj veeran layi rakhiyan (I have five bullets in my gun for your five brothers…)”.

If that was not enough, sample this: ‘Chandigarh mildi aa daaru sasti’ by Sukhi; ‘On the spot gun shot rule ae’ by Karan Aujla; ‘Daaru badnam karti…eh taan naina terian de kaare…Ho thekian de raah bhul gye…Jadon tak le sharaabi nain tere’ by Kamal Kahlon and Param Singh; Aye haye daaru daaru…Jad daru mainu chad jandi ae, Akh meri khad jandi ae’ by Deep Jandu, Divine, Gangis Khan; ‘Pa Hor Peg, Power Peg Ho’ by Sukh-E and Pardhaan. Songs like these are surprisingly gaining viewership and getting popular among the youngsters.

The gravity of the issue can be gauged from the fact that the Akal Takht — the Sikhs’ highest temporal seat — has also maintained that it can pass an edict (hukumnama) to check the menace if the Sikh intellectuals felt there was a requirement for the same.

What is more, the Punjab and Haryana High Court, in 2019, had also took serious note of the menace and directed the Director Generals of Police (DGPs) of Punjab and Haryana, and the Union Territory of Chandigarh to ensure that no songs are played glorifying liquor, drugs and violence, even in live shows.

NO MECHANISM TO CHECK THE TREND

In the absence of any proper mechanism by the powers that be, the menace continues to be alive. Unchecked, the Punjabi singers are singing in praise of vulgarity, liquor, and violence making a bad influence on the young generations.

Even as the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has declared that no movies or songs promoting crime, violence, drugs and gangsterism or crime in the State will be allowed by the Government, it was not clear what exactly the Government intend to do.

“We have been initiating action as and when required…The district police is registering cases against such singers who are indulging in singing such songs as was done in recent cases…Besides, the State Government is also coming out with a policy to check this trend,” a senior Government official, requesting anonymity, told The Pioneer.

PROPOSAL FOR CENSOR BOARD IN LIMBO

Mooted in 2012 by the then SAD-BJP government, the proposal to set up state’s own ‘Censor Board’ — to screen the content shown in videos and lyrics so that the censored content reaches the public — is yet to see the light of the day.

Eight years back when the then Cultural Affairs Minister Sarwan Singh Phillaur proposed to set up the Board, the State received a dressing down by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) dubbing it as a “separatist move”.

However, the same demand once again gained momentum the previous year in the wake of continued trend with the “objectionable” lyrics and picturisation of the songs.

Punjab State Commission for Women chairperson Manisha Gulati, in 2019, raised the demand with the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh insisting that a Censor Board must be constituted for the songs on line with the censor board for films.

“We have demanded from the Punjab Government to set up a committee which would scrutinize the contents…We have also urged the Centre regarding this. But, we have received no inputs on this so far. During my meeting with Chief Minister on this issue, he assured me that the Government would do something and I think that something on this aspect is coming…they are forming some committee,” said Gulati.

The demand by the state women panel’s head came after she ensured registration of a case against Punjabi rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh for using “lewd lyrics” against women in his song ‘Makhna’ along with the producer Bhushan Kumar.

Gulati insisted that there should be some restrictions on lyrics and content of the songs. “Besides, there should be some control by the government also,” she added.

At the same time, Gulati rued over the apathetic attitude of the “senior” and “good” singers, like Gurdas Mann and others, for not coming forward to guide “today’s singers”.

“We appealed to Gurdas Mann and had high expectations that he would come forward to tackle this issue but unfortunately we received no response from him, though he supports this cause indirectly. Singers like them, who are role models for the younger generation, should step forward in dealing with this,” said Gulati, who maintained that the State Government is working on “something” on this aspect.

INDIVIDUALS’ CAMPAIGNS

Alarmed over the growing trend of songs glorifying guns and liquor, several individuals and social activists have taken upon themselves to clean this mess.

Being a sociology student and teacher, an Assistant Professor (Sociology) at Government College, Sector-46, Chandigarh, Pandit Rao Dharennvar maintained that songs “do affect one’s mind”.

“I can very well prove scientifically and sociologically that songs do affect one’s mind. In fact, if bhajans, and gurbani can have an impact on one’s mind, why not these songs,” said Dharennvar, who has moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court against Punjab top cop Dinkar Gupta alleging contempt of court.

Citing the High Court’s directives, issued on July 15, 2019, Dharennvar said that said that even the High Court had observed that the “songs affected the children of impressionable age”.

“The High Court had, in July last year, issued directions to the DGPs to check the menace. But, seeing the trend still continuing, I have now filed a contempt petition on January 28, 2020, on which the High Court has directed the Principal Secretary (Home) to file the action taken report and how they are going to handle this before the next date of hearing, that is April 24, 2020,” he added.

Dharennvar also maintained that to bring the movies and also the web series under the scrutiny, he has been campaigning to seek amendments in Cinematograph Act, 1952.

Crusading against “anti-social” songs, the Kannadiga man’s modus operandi is simple—apologize or face legal action. “I first seek an apology from the singer or lyricists, etc. in case, they do not apologize or admit their guilt, I file a formal complaint and if needed be, a legal case too,” he added.

Working on the same lines is an NGO ‘Mission 6213’. Started to working against noise pollution, the Mission is also making efforts for the implementation of the High Court orders wherein it had directed the state DGP to ensure that any music promoting violence, drugs and liquor was not allowed to be played, not even in live shows.

Going a step ahead, Ludhiana Police Commissioner Rakesh Agrawal has, on February 1, imposed a ban, for two months, on playing songs that glorify liquor, drugs, violence and gun culture. As per the ban, such songs cannot be played even during live music concerts, DJs played during weddings and other programmes, besides the music played in public transport.

According to the ban, FIR will be registered against a person if he or she shares such songs on YouTube or other social networking sites under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

To ensure its implementation, police patrolling teams will keep a close tab.

WHAT THE HIGH COURT SAYS

The High Court, in July last year, had directed the Directors-General of Police in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to prevent playing of songs glorifying liquor, wine, drugs and violence even in live shows.

The Division Bench had observed that the glorification of violence, wine, drugs and vulgar songs have given rise to culture of gangsters in both the states and Chandigarh. The songs affected the children of impressionable age, it added.

The Bench had made it clear that the Court could take judicial notice of the fact that glorification of liquor, wine, drugs and violence in the songs in the states of Punjab, Haryana and Union Territory, Chandigarh, had increased in recent times.

GOVT TO BRING LAW TO CHECK MENACE

Punjab Government is in the process of formulating a law to curb the “menace” of Punjabi singers promoting drugs, liquor, or glorifying weapons in their songs and films.

“We are working on it but the main problem is how to control the contents on the social media which is just a tap away…It is quite difficult to censor the content at a time when everything is on everyone’s fingertips,” a senior government official said.

Over the period, the leaders, and the respective Ministers had only created noise, instead of actually acting upon it.

During the present regime, the state’s former Cultural Affairs Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu had announced to set up a Punjab Sabhyachaar (Culture) Commission to check “obscenity and vulgarity” besides the “glorification of drugs and violence” in Punjabi songs.

He had also maintained that the Commission would also have powers to monitor content served through the social media, but the same is in a state of uncertainty.

TREND NOT NEW IN PUNJAB

This trend of songs, with objectionable lyrics, is not new in Punjab. In fact, it traces its history back to the 1980s when Amar Chamkila, known as the ‘Elvis of Punjab’, started singing songs using double entendres.

Chamkila, along with his wife and stage partner Amarjot Kaur, used to sing double meaning songs about alcoholism, drug abuse, hyper-masculinity, extra-marital affairs which were considered obscene and vulgar by a section of society, but his popularity amidst his fans and supporters was undisputed. But, the legendary singer duo was brutally assassinated, along with their two troupe members, in 1988.

Decades later, the trend continues, but with nastiest lyrics. Several singers have faced public’s ire including popular singers like Diljit Dosanjh, Gippy Grewal, Miss Pooja among others.

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