HYDERABAD: Controversial BJP leader T Raja Singh, the saffron party’s lone legislator in the Assembly, a few days ago released a teaser to a song he had sung. He said the song would be dedicated to the country’s armed forces and promised to release it on Sunday, to mark the occasion of Sri Rama Navami. While he did release the song on Sunday, Singh received feedback for his song from the most unexpected quarters.
Pakistan army’s major general and director general (DG) of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Asif Ghafoor, on his official Twitter handle, wrote: “Glad that you copied. But copy to speak the truth as well #PakistanZindabad...(sic)” Ghafoor implied Singh’s song was copied from the Pakistani song ‘Pakistan Zindabad’.
Singh’s song, unimaginatively named ‘Hindustan Zindabad’, evoked mixed response on Twitter. However, Ghafoor’s tweet came as a bolt from the blue to Singh and his followers.
The Pakistani DG was referring to a song shared earlier by Pakistan’s ISPR on March 22. Pakistan military’s PR wing had released the music video to commemorate Pakistan Day, also known as the country’s Republic Day, that is celebrated on March 23.
The two songs, even to the untrained ear, sound very similar. There are very few changes in the lyrics. Of course, the biggest change of lyric is perhaps the replacement of ‘Pakistan’ with ‘Hindustan’. The BJP MLA’s gaffe comes weeks after escalation, and subsequent deescalation, between the two neighbouring countries after a terror attack in Pulwama, Jammu & Kashmir. A few days later, the Indian government reported it had conducted air strikes in Pakistan. An Indian Air Force officer was later captured by Pakistani forces. Tension subsided only after the officer was sent back home.
Meanwhile, Raja Singh’s followers remained on the offensive. They claimed it was the Pakistan military that had copied their leader and not the other way round.
The tweet, however, has dented Singh’s image as one Twitter user pointed out: “This is such an embarrassing copy... Such a huge music industry in India yet they cannot come up with something original.” Another user termed it “lame”. There are multiple versions of the Pakistani song available online. In one such video, Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi can be seen rocking to it.