Booked by Punjab police in cases for promoting gun culture and also under arms act, noted Punjabi singer, rapper, and actor Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala, on Friday joined the Congress party.

To induct the singer, having major sway among Punjabi youth, Punjab Congress’ top leadership — Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, state Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu, Punjab party affairs’ general secretary in-charge Harish Choudhary, and three Cabinet Ministers, among others — were present.

Later, Sidhu and Transport Minister Amarinder Singh Raja Warring accompanied Moosewala to the national capital for a meeting with Congress’ national vice-president Rahul Gandhi in the evening. Sidhu, after the meeting, said that Rahul Gandhi has asked Moosewala to stay in direct contact with him whenever needed.

“We are taking Sidhu Moosewala in the party fold. He will fight the election for us,” said Sidhu, while inducting the singer in the Congress.

Even as the Chief Minister and other party leaders maintained strategic silence over the possible seat from where Moosewala can contest elections, the singer hinted at taking the electoral plunge from his home district, Mansa.

He said that after starting his music career four years ago, “I am now ready to take a new step in my life. I still live in the same house in my village. My father is an ex-serviceman and my mother is a sarpanch. Residents of my area, Bathinda and Mansa, are associated with me. They have expectations from me.”

“I am not entering politics for status or to earn praise. I want to become a part of the system to transform it. I am joining the Congress to raise the voices of the people. I am joining the Congress as the party has leaders who have come from common families. For instance, Cabinet Minister Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has risen from a common family,” he said.

Moosewala’s mother is Moosa village sarpanch in Mansa district, and has connections with the Congress party.

To rope in Moosewala in the party, Warring played an instrumental role, through his mother. In fact, Channi and Sidhu held a meeting with Moosewala at Warring’s residence before the announcement.

Channi, welcoming Moosewala, described him as a person who knows the sentiments of the youth and gives them direction. “Mooosewala’s induction in the Congress marks a big day in the political arena of the state,” he said, adding, “Hun Moosewala da bambiha Congress ‘ch bolega”.

Lauding Moosewala, Choudhary said that he raised a voice not only in Punjab but in the world highlighting several significant issues. “When the farmers were agitating, Moosewala was the one of the strongest voices,” he said.

About a fortnight ago, Moosewala released his latest song, ‘Satisfy’, where he is expressing contentment and satisfaction with whatever God has given to him.

MOOSEWALA’S BRUSH WITH CONTROVERSY

A popular Punjabi singer, with lakhs of followers in his various social media accounts, holds a major audience among Punjabi youth.

However, the singer remained the controversy’s child, primarily for promoting gun culture and violence through his songs. Hailing from Moosa village in Mansa district, the singer was booked by the Punjab Police in 2020 under the Arms Act for promoting gun culture in his famous song Panj Goliyan.

Before 2020, he, along with five police personnel, were also booked in another case after a video of him firing an AK-47 assault rifle at a firing range went viral during Covid-19 lockdown. After the video went viral, the then DGP Dinkar Gupta had directed Sangrur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) to conduct a preliminary inquiry, which prima facie established that the DSP had facilitated the shooting at the firing range in Badbar village at a time when the entire state had been under curfew.

During the farmers’ agitation, Moosewala also became a part of the farmers’ protest against the now repealed three controversial farm laws at the Delhi borders.

He shot to fame with his super hit single ‘So High’, which was released in 2017. He is also known for his hit Punjabi tracks such as “Legend”, “Devil”, “Just listen”, “Tibeyan da putt”, “Jatt da muqabala”, “Brown Boys”, “These Days”, “Dark Life”, and “Hathyar” among many others. His name has also featured in the Billboard Canadian Albums in 2018.