The Punjab government’s latest salvo in its long-standing fight against Punjabi song lyrics is a new legislation against artistes glorifying drug abuse and gun culture.
Charanjit Singh Channi, Punjab Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister has said that the state government is planning to bring about a law to address the problem.
The announcement was made during a meeting with folk singer Pammi Bai on Tuesday who had approached the minister to voice his concern over the issue, according to an official statement.
Singer Pammi Bai (C) meets Punjab Minister Charanjit Singh Channi (L) to voice his concern over glorification of drug abuse and violence in Punjabi songs. Source: Twitter
“The young generation considering them (artistes) as their role models have been one of the reasons for them being attracted to drugs. They should not encourage the youth to take drugs by glorifying the menace,” said Mr Channi.
Whilst the announcement was largely well-received, some social media users, however, questioned how the law, if enacted, would be executed.
Earlier, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh had made a similar appeal to the artistes while former Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu had set up a cultural commission in March 2018 to address complaints of vulgarity against Punjabi pop songs, all of which failed to create a ripple.
Punjab’s tussle with growing profanity in songs is an old bone of contention.
According to a 2016 study spearheaded by Professor Dheeraj Sharma from the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad, almost 60% of the 2,000 songs assessed by him contained references to drugs and violence.
The study also revealed that people who listened to such songs frequently acquire a high propensity to commit violence, indulge in substance abuse and also tend to harbour a negative attitude towards women.
A still from Yo Yo Honey Singh's song. Source: Twitter
“This is too late and too little. First, a commission, then warnings and now comes a promise of action. These half-baked measures would not help,” Melbourne-based music enthusiast Ravneet Singh told SBS Punjabi.
“What the industry needs is a strong call of action, a censor board of sorts so that creators and artistes know that anything remotely obscene or vulgar would not be allowed on any public platform.”
The state government’s announcement comes on the heels of a non-bailable warrant being issued against Punjabi singer and rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh over a seven-year-old song, which Yo Yo claims he did not sing or write.
