Facing flak from various quarters for failing to act against Punjabi singers using risque lyrics, the Punjab Government is contemplating legal action against singers who glorify sex, violence and promiscuity in their songs. Taking a cue from the Lucknow police, which booked rapper Honey Singh for the vulgar lyrics in his song "Main hoon Balatkari (I am a rapist)", the Punjabi Police has finally swung into action. It is legally examining a complaint lodged by an NGO against Honey Singh with the Nawanshahr police. Meanwhile, the state government is mulling a new policy to ensure that Punjabi culture is not eroded by the new-age singers, making their way to success on lewd lyrics and sexual innuendoes. Talking to The Tribune, Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Minister for Cultural Affairs, said the government would shortly come out with a new policy with rules and regulations to be followed by all singers and recording studios. "Though we have held several meetings in the past to suggest ways and means to check vulgarity in popular Punjabi music, these have remained inconclusive. Initially, we had contemplated setting up a censor board. But we realised that this would not be of much help as the singers can simply release their songs either online (on YouTube) or anywhere outside Punjab. This is why we are thinking of coming up with a cultural policy where all stakeholders in the music industry will be on board ", he said. Additional Director-General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order, Dinkar Gupta, said: "We are examining various legislations under which we can book a person resorting to vulgarity or for portraying women in bad light." He said the police was also examining ways to check indecent portrayal of women on the Internet. Over the years, Punjabi music has deteriorated. Poetry has given way to no-holds-barred songs describing the physical attributes of a woman. And the youth are simply lapping it up. Despite the offensive lyrics of Honey Singh and Jazzy B's "Oh Thumke Lavalo Ji", it has notched up more than a million views in just six days since its release on December 28. Punjabi music today is all about sex and violence. Sample this:" Lakk 28 kudi da, 47 weight kudi da," "Hoya ki je nachdi di banh phad layi," "Oye aaja soniye tainu kar lavan kidnap ni," "Mitran nu shauq golian chalan da", or "Kal pind de vichale billo daang khadki." Even more offensive are the videos for many of these Punjabi songs, showing young girls sedating their parents to have a "good time" with their beaus. Says Istri Jagriti Manch Aman Deol: "We have held several demonstrations against these Punjabi singers. Though the government had assured us it would set up a censor board, nothing has been done. These songs influence young impressionable minds, who could take to serious crimes." President of Punjab Sahit Akademi, Gurbhajan Singh Gill, says that that double meaning songs have been there for a long time. When in the 70s, popular Punjabi singer Chamkeela rendered songs like "Bach ke reha kar nakhro, koi hath pher jao tere te". But the difference was that back then if a singer had 10 songs to his credit, only one would have vulgar lyrics. "Now, it is the other way round," he says. Those in the Punjabi music industry, while accepting that vulgarity sells, feel that cracking the whip on singers may sound the death knell of the Punjabi music industry that incurred heavy losses owing to piracy a few years ago. Dinesh Aulakh, owner of Speed Records, who has released most of these music albums, said ever since downloading songs from the Internet became a rage, more than 30 Punjab-based recording studios had shut shop. "Only those songs that become a rage online are recorded in CDs and released. As against 25,000 CDs released earlier, now just 5,000 CDs are released," he said.
Various Voices
The government will come out with a new policy with rules and regulations to be followed by all singers and recording studios — Sarwan S Phillaur, Minister for Cultural Affairs (pic)
- We are examining various legislations under which we can book a person resorting to vulgarity or for portraying women in bad light — Dinkar Gupta, ADGP
- Double meaning songs have been there for a long time...But earlier if a singer had 10 songs to his credit, only one would have vulgar lyrics. Now, it's the other way round — GS Gill, Punjab Sahit Akademi
- Songs (irrespective of content) that become a rage online are recorded & released — Dinesh Aulakh, Speed Records
Unpalatable Fact: Youth in Honey
trap
Despite the offensive lyrics of Honey Singh and Jazzy B's "Oh Thumke Lavalo
Ji", it has notched up more than a million views in just six days since its
release on December 28, 2012