Amid protests by the Bajrang Dal demanding cancellation of singer Diljit Dosanjh’s Indore concert, the singer dedicated his concert to Indore resident Urdu poet Rahat Indori, who passed away in August 2022.
In response to the protests, the Punjabi star released Indore’s most famous ghazal “Kisi ke bap ka Hindustan ahti hai“(Hindustan is no one’s property) at his Dil Luminati tour concert on Sunday. The ghazal reads: “Agar khilaf hai do, jan ahti hai. Yeh sab dua hai Asman ahti hai. Sabi ka khoon hai shalil here ki mitti mein/Kisi ke bap ka Hindustan Chhoti hai (If they oppose, let them do it, life is not in danger. It is only smoke, not the sky. This land has seen the sacrifice of all/ Hindustan is nobody’s property).
Indori’s ghazal gained popularity recently when it became a rallying cry for those protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and a pan-India National Register of Citizens (NRC).
On Sunday, the Bajrang Dal contacted the Indore police to prevent the concert from going ahead. Bajrang Dal leader Avinash Kaushal said: “Diljit has made anti-national remarks many times during the Kisan movement. He is also a supporter of Khalistan. We will not allow such people to perform in the city of Maa Ahilya. We have submitted a petition to the administration demanding the cancellation of the show. If the incident happens again, we will protest in our own way.”
Indore Bajrang Dal leader Tanu Sharma said The Indian Express: “Our protest was against drug use. We are not protesting this concert. It is not in our culture to take drugs at these concerts; We are against it. We are also against consumption of alcohol and this concert had such stalls.”
Diljit gave the address of the ticket sold in black
Dosanjh did not say Bajrang Dal in his concert. But he addressed allegations that he sold his concert tickets in the black, asking people how he was responsible.
“For a long time, people in this country have been saying that Diljit’s concert tickets were sold in the black. It’s not my fault to sell the tickets in black. What is the artist’s mistake in selling a 10 rupee ticket for 100 rupees? Dosanjh asked.
Dosanjh then recited another ghazal of Indori: “’Mere Hujre Mein Nahi Aur Khi Par Do/Aasman Lae Ho Le Ao Zamin Par Do/Now Where Are You Going To Be Washed (Not in my hut, put it somewhere else. You brought heaven, bring it and put it on earth. Sir, now where do you go to find the killer. Blame the murder on us.’ All media people, blame me as much as you can, I’m not afraid of infamy)”
Dosanjh said that this is the time of indie music from India and such problems are expected.
“This is the time for independent music. With growth comes problems. We will continue to work. All independent artists, double your efforts. This is the time for Indian music. Earlier, foreign artistes used to come (and) tickets were sold in lakhs. Now tickets of Indian artistes are sold in the black. 6. It is called ‘vocal for the local’,’ he said.