On December 23, 2024, Punjabi Singer Guru Randhawa released a new song titled Punjab. While announcing its release, he wrote on X, “If anyone talks bad about my country, I will give it back to them. Nation first! And yes, proud to be a PUNJABI AND INDIAN.”
He further said that, “Its not a slap, its a clear message, when we don’t disrespect the country they live in or hold the passports of, they also shouldn’t disrespect our nation. Period”.
His song comes amidst controversies surrounding another Punjabi singer, Diljit Dosanjh, who is currently on his India tour, Dil-luminati. Interestingly, while announcing performances in various cities, Diljit shared posts with the Indian flag emoji. However, he did not include the flag emoji when announcing his show in Chandigarh, Punjab. After facing criticism from netizens, he later shared a new post on X with the Indian flag and clarified that he is both a proud Indian and Punjabi.
After this incident, Bollywood actress Preity Zinta also posted on X, saying, “Support the country you live in, or live in the country you support!” Interestingly, she is one of the few voices speaking out against the anti-India narrative, whether it is the Singers controversy or raising voice for Hindus in Bangladesh.
The controversy doesn’t end there. Another Punjabi singer, Jazzy B, who is also on his India tour, recently in an interview stated, “I am a proud Khalistani, and we want Khalistan.” He further added that Sikhs do not have any identity in India.
Meanwhile another Khalistani sympathiser singer AP Dhillon is also on a music tour across India. Notably, in promotional pictures for his song With You, he was seen wearing shoes resembling the Indian tricolor, which sparked serious backlash.
It is disheartening that Jazzy B and AP Dhillon have openly expressed their support for Khalistan, yet people continue to attend their concerts, and no action has been taken against them so far.
This situation is worrying because divisive ideas are being spread openly through art and music.
Also Read: Punjabi Singers and Khalistan 2.0: Musical puppets of Pakistan’s ISI
It is worth noting that last year, on September 20, another Punjabi singer, Shubh, faced a significant controversy. His India tour was canceled by BookMyShow after the ticket-booking platform faced boycott calls on social media. Shubh, known for tracks like Elevated, OG, and Cheques, was accused of supporting Khalistan. He had also shared a distorted map of India that excluded the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and the northeastern states.
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