Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Tuesday objected to reports of a television series on gangster Lawrence Bishnoi titled Lawrence of Punjab, and demanded a complete ban, questioning the judgement of its makers in promoting crime and violence.
In a statement, Warring said it would promote and glorify gangster culture and insult "Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiyat", adding that the land of Gurus, Rishis and Pirs would be identified with a dreaded gangster.
He said Bishnoi and his associates had been allegedly responsible for the killing of singer Sidhu Moosewala and many others and warned the proposed series could send the wrong signal to young people by glorifying someone who should be condemned.
"This is not a work of art and entertainment, but a criminal act to instigate and abet youngsters towards the world of crime", he said.
Warring also questioned the silence of the state and central governments over what he called a "blatant insult" to Punjab.
He added that Bishnoi was originally from Rajasthan and is currently lodged in Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat. He said he would file a public interest litigation in the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the series, citing its potential to negatively influence young people.
Meanwhile, ZEE5 announced the release of the docuseries Lawrence of Punjab, which traces the evolution of Lawrence Bishnoi’s criminal identity.
The platform said it had unveiled a trailer for the original series, produced by Riverland Entertainment and directed by Raghav Darr, which is set to premiere on April 27.
According to a press note by the makers, "Lawrence of Punjab traces the journey of a criminal identity through the lens of culture, systems, and visibility. From student politics and music to ideology and media amplification, the series pieces together how aspiration, power, and perception intersect to shape a new-age digital syndicate. With Lawrence Bishnoi as a key case study within this ecosystem, the narrative expands beyond the individual to examine the larger cultural and social context, focusing on consequences."