E-Paper
Sukhbir tankhah: Artist defends SAD chief via song
A Punjabi song titled ‘Sajish Da Shikar Ho Reha, Apna Sukhbir Oye’ (There is a conspiracy against Sukhbir) was released on YouTube on November 26
A singer named Rocky Mittal has come out with a song to defend Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal ahead of the Sikh clergy meeting on December 2 to decide his tankhah (religious punishment).
Sukhbir was declared tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct) by the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs on August 30 for the mistakes committed by the party and its government from 2007 to 2017 on complaint of the rebel Akali leaders.
A Punjabi song titled ‘Sajish Da Shikar Ho Reha, Apna Sukhbir Oye’ (There is a conspiracy against Sukhbir) was released on YouTube on November 26. Since then the song has been making rounds on social media platforms with SAD supporters and workers liking and sharing the song.
The song has garnered several likes and close to 46,000 views. In the description, singer Mittal brands himself as “Modi Bhagat”. He has, in the past, released several songs in praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP.
However, in his song on Sukhbir, Mittal has criticised the BJP-led central government and a line in the song says: “Akali na sehande ghulami, Delhi Darbar Di. Dilli di dhakkeshahi, Punjab nu mardi” (Akalis don’t tolerate slavery of the Central government. Excesses of Union government is harming Punjab)”.
Rebel Akali leaders, who complained against the Sukhbir to the Akal Takht, have been portrayed as ‘villains’ in the case.
