New Delhi: Punjabi actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh has been served a notice by authorities in Telangana, directing him not to sing songs promoting alcohol, drugs and violence. He is scheduled to perform in the city on Friday as part of his Dil-Luminati concert.
According to The Indian Express, it has a copy of the notice issued after Panditrao Dharenavar, a Chandigarh resident leading a crusade to promote the Punjabi language, filed a representation to authorities in Telangana to not allow Dosanjh to sing such songs at the live show in Hyderabad. The notice has also warned Dosanjh not to “use children” during his show.
Kanthi Wesley, Commissioner of the Telangana Women and Child Development department, confirmed that the notice has been issued to Dosanjh and the show organisers, The Indian Express reported.
The November 7 notice issued by the district welfare officer of the Department of Welfare of Women and Children, Disabled and Senior Citizens, Rangareddy district, addresses Dosanjh and states that according to the video evidence submitted by the complainant, he has “sung songs promoting alcohol, drugs and violence (CASE, Patiala Peg, 5 Taara) during the live show in Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on 26th and 27th of October”. “Therefore we are issuing this notice in advance to deter promoting alcohol/drugs/violence through songs in your live show,” the notice adds.
The lyrics of the songs listed by Dharenavar, an assistant professor at a Chandigarh college, in his complaint, refer to alcohol and drugs. While the lyrics of 5 Taara (“5 taara theke utte behke taareya/Main tera saara gussa”) refer to venting anger by drinking at a five-star liquor vend, the lyrics of Case (“Jeb vichon (a)feem labbhi hai, feem labbhi hai.. mittran tey case chalda, case chalda”) refer to opium being recovered from a pocket and how the police case is ongoing. Similarly, Patiala Peg (Ehda ni sukhaala chaddi da.. Patiala peg laa chaddi da) speaks of downing sorrows by drinking a Patiala peg.
Dharenavar said that the Punjab and Haryana High Court has already issued directions against the promotion of songs glorifying alcohol, drugs, violence and gun culture. “I will file a contempt of court petition if the singer in question will sing such songs again despite the notice issued by Telangana authorities. I had filed an online complaint following which the notice has been issued to the singer to deter from singing such songs in Hyderabad show,” he added.
The notice also refers to children below 13 years. It states: “Your concert guidelines say that children are allowed below 13 years of age. Concert guidelines also say that concert may include loud sounds and flashing lights. Both loud music and flashing lights are harmful for children… In view of the above, organizers and singer DIL-LUMINATI.. are hereby informed not to use children on stage during live show in Cyberabad on 15.11.2024 and not to sing Alcohol/Drugs/Violence promoting songs during LIVE show on stage.”