Punjabi singer Kanwar Grewal’s song ‘Rihai’ on You Tube, advocating release of ‘Sikh detenues’, has been banned in India due to legal complaint from the Central Government. Grewal is known for his role in farmers’ year-long agitation against the Centre’s three farm laws, mobilising the youth and rural folks through his hit songs on the protests.
The ban came days after the Centre also banned the controversial ‘SYL’ song by the slain Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala.
In his song ‘Rihai’, Kanwar Grewal was talking about the various social issues related to the Sikh Community, whith main focus on release of Sikh prisoners. The main line of the song “Asi Bandi Singh’aan Di Rihai Mang Rahe Haan”, demands the release of Sikh prisoners, languishing in jails even after completing their sentences.
Interestingly, Sidhu Moosewala’s ‘SYL’ song also talked about the issue of Sikh prisoners along with other subjects.
Describing the ban as “a most unfortunate development” the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday asked the Union Government to reverse this decision keeping in view citizens’ right to freedom of speech as well as the sentiments of the Sikh community.
“The song ‘Rihai’ reflected the sentiments of Sikhs worldwide who are perturbed at the continued incarceration of Sikh detenues even after completion of their life sentences...Kanwar Grewal has done nothing more than use poetic license to highlight this grievance besides demanding that history books should not be rewritten. This does not call for a ban under any circumstances,” he said.
Appealing to the Centre to reconsider its decision, Sukhbir said: “Such bans have the capacity to create a wrong impression about India in the comity of nations. We cannot be seen to be suppressing the freedom of speech which is enshrined in our Constitution.”
Sukhbir, after speaking to Kanwar Grewal, assured him of full support from Akali Dal and disclosed to him that he would take up this issue in the forthcoming Parliament session also.
“The ban on the ‘Rihai’ song comes soon after the ban on the posthumous song ‘SYL’ sung by renowned artist Sidhu Moosewala which also reflected the aspirations of Punjabis who do not want their water to be diverted to Haryana through the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal,” he said.
Sukhbir said that SAD would also ask the Centre to disclose the specific complaint in both cases and who had registered the complaint while asking YouTube to ban both songs in India. “We will also demand a broader discussion on this issue to ensure corrective steps can be taken and this trend is stopped,” he added.