Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh recently criticized state governments, including Telangana, for targeting him over songs about alcohol. He declared he would stop singing such songs if all Indian states became dry states and urged authorities to ban liquor contracts altogether.
At a concert in Ahmedabad on Sunday, following his Hyderabad performance, Diljit proposed a unique condition: governments should declare dry days on his concert dates to ensure he avoids singing about liquor.
Addressing allegations, the singer clarified he doesn’t consume alcohol and has only sung a few songs about it. “Bollywood artists promote liquor in their ads, but I don’t,” he said.
Earlier, the Telangana government issued him a notice prohibiting songs promoting alcohol, drugs, or violence during his Hyderabad show. This action followed a complaint from Chandigarh-based professor Panditrao Dharenavar, who provided video evidence of Diljit performing similar songs in Delhi.
During his Hyderabad concert, Diljit altered lyrics of popular tracks like ‘Lemonade’ and ‘5 Taara’ to comply with the directive. However, he criticized authorities for imposing restrictions on Indian artists while being lenient with international performers.
He also called for Amritsar to be declared a dry city, urging people to join him in a movement. “I will stop singing songs on liquor if governments stop liquor contracts,” he added. Responding to critics questioning his success, Diljit said, “I’ve worked hard for years. Such shows and sold-out tickets don’t happen overnight.”
