BHOPAL: With less than 10 days to go for Punjabi singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh's November 15 concert in Indore, the event has run into fresh controversy. The district child protection officer has directed the organisers to ensure that four of the singer's popular songs are not performed at the show, following bomb threat emails targeting schools and the mayor's office.
In a letter to the management of the concert venue, the officer directed strict compliance with the restriction, citing a July 22, 2019, order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The department expressed concern that the lyrics could adversely influence children, particularly as those aged five and above would be allowed to attend the concert.
The four songs identified in the directive are ‘Patiala Peg’, ‘5 Taara Theke’, ‘Case (Jeb Vichon Afeem Labhiya)’ and ‘Jatt Fire Karda’.
Issued on Friday, the directive followed a complaint by Chandigarh-based professor Pandit Rao Dharenawar, who had objected to the songs' lyrics.
Dosanjh is currently touring India as part of his Aura India Tour, which began in the Delhi-NCR region on November 1. After Indore, he is scheduled to perform in Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Chandigarh and Kolkata.
The latest directive comes amid a series of controversies surrounding the concert. Earlier, three private schools and the office of Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava received emails threatening bomb blasts in connection with the November 15 show at C-21 Estate Ground.
The emails also warned the schools against sending students to the concert, raising concerns over the safety of the event.
Police teams and bomb disposal squads searched all three schools but found no explosives. Preliminary investigations suggested that the emails could be hoaxes, though police are examining technical evidence to identify those responsible.
Highly placed police sources told The New Indian Express that the email addresses used to send the threats may have been used earlier by individuals in two states, one in southern India and the other in the north.
Amid the developments, Mayor Bhargava directed officials to ensure that the concert proceeds smoothly without unnecessary hurdles or harassment.
Dosanjh's December 8, 2024, performance in Indore as part of his Dil-Luminati India Tour had also faced protests by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal. The organisations objected to the proposed sale of liquor and non-vegetarian food at the venue, citing Indore's cultural traditions.
The protests were held outside the Collectorate, with BJP legislators Usha Thakur and Golu Shukla also opposing certain aspects of the event. Following the protests, liquor and non-vegetarian food stalls, along with related advertisements, were reportedly removed from the venue.
Despite demands for cancellation and protests, the concert went ahead under heavy security. Dosanjh performed at C-21 Estate Ground and concluded the show before 10 pm.
The singer also responded to criticism over alleged black marketing of concert tickets by invoking the famous lines of Indore-born Urdu poet Rahat Indori — “Kisi ke baap ka Hindustan thodi hai” — emphasising that the country did not belong to any particular individual or group.
He also questioned why artists should be held responsible for the illegal resale of tickets, arguing that they had little control over the prices charged by buyers who subsequently resold them.