How Punjabi songwriters and singers prepared ground for farmers’ protest march to Delhi

Punjabi singers and songwriters paved the way for the mass farmer march to Delhi, months before it actually took place. Several songs were released in September and October to unite the farmers in raising their voices against the Centre's farm laws.

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How Punjabi songwriters and singers prepared ground for farmers’ protest march to Delhi
Most songs fanned the fear that the farmers would lose their land, encouraged them to throw an open challenge to the Centre, and glorified weapons and threats.

Punjabi songwriters and singers played a key role in preparing the ground for the farmers’ protest march to Delhi months before it took place.

Writers and singers penned, sang and released most of these videos in September and October to unite the farmers in raising their voices, even more, when the Centre’s farm ordinances sparked protests in Punjab.

The farmers’ protests helped the Punjab music industry that was passing through a difficult phase due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Songwriters and singers, who were making videos on life in a lockdown, took up the farmers’ issue and featured newspaper clippings and TV news clips of protests.

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Most songs fanned the fear that the farmers would lose their land, encouraged them to throw an open challenge to the Centre, and glorified weapons and threats. Many actors and filmmakers also supported farmers by taking part in protests to save their land.

The song 'Jatta Takda Ho Ja' sung by Jass Bajwa was uploaded on YouTube on September 19. It has garnered over 39 lakh views. The song says the Central government has always betrayed the farmers and asks them to unite. It talks about the role of moneylenders which has been ended by the new farm laws to 'finish' the farmers.

The song 'Kisaan vs Rajneeti', sung by Anmol Gagan Maan, was uploaded on September 24 on YouTube. It has garnered over 4.27 lakh views and says the farmer who holds a spade on his shoulder can also pick the gun. It warns that if anything like this happens, politics will be responsible.

Two days later, 'Asi Vaddange' (we will chop off) song sung by Himmat Sandhu was uploaded on YouTube. With 46 lakh views, the song warns the Centre that farmers will chop off every stranger’s foot on their fields.

The song also accuses the Union government of trying to 'finish off' the farmers by negating the role of commission agents.

The song 'Delhi Aa Punjab Nal Pange Thik Nahi' sung by R Nait and uploaded on YouTube on September 29 has attracted over 24 lakh views. It says New Delhi is trying to incite Punjab and when farmers pick up sticks, they are called terrorists.

New video songs continue to pour in as the protest gains momentum.

The 'Ailaan' song, sung by Kanwar Grewal and uploaded on October 10 on YouTube, has garnered over 16 lakh views. It talks about the farmer march which will trouble New Delhi and says the protesters are blessed by 80-year-old farmers whose encouragement comes from the sky. It also says the decision about the crops will be taken by the farmers and nobody else.

The video song 'Pecha' sung by Kanwar Grewal and Haraf Cheema and uploaded on YouTube on November 21 is among the latest songs going viral. This song has garnered over 20 lakh views within a few days. It asks farmers to march with their tractors as the situation has now gone beyond control. The theme of the song is the system that is against the farmers.