Diljit Dosanjh quotes Rahat Indori as alcohol, non-veg food is banned at his Indore concert

Diljit Dosanjh is currently touring India with his Dil-Luminati concert. His Indore concert over the weekend faced protests from Bajrang Dal after news spread that the event would have alcohol and non-vegetarian food available for concertgoers.

The protests took place in the heart of the city, and Bajrang Dal raised concerns over the cultural implications of such provisions at the concert.

According to concertgoers, no alcohol or non-veg food was available at the gig. Diljit, however, took a sly dig at the protest during the concert and quoted late poet Rahat Indori's couplet "Kisi Ke Baap Ka Hindustaan Thodi Hai (India does not belong to any single person)."

Before the concert, Yash Bachani, a member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), voiced strong opposition and told the media, “Bajrang Dal got information about a concert happening in the city where there would be open liquor, and meat would be served. We have come here to inspect the same.”

“We are also alert about any Love Jihad incident happening here. We oppose the open liquor and serving of meat to protect the culture in the city. Bajrang Dal can come out on the streets to protest against the concert tomorrow,” he added.

Diljit Dosanjh Responds to Bajrang Dal's Demands

The Punjabi singer avoided directly mentioning the Bajrang Dal protest, but during his Sunday concert, Diljit recited a part of veteran lyricist Rahat Indori’s famous creation ‘Agar Khilaf Hai Hone Do’.

Diljit said on stage, “Agar Khilaf Hai Hone Do Jaan Thodi Hai, Yeh Sab Dhuaan Hai Koi Aasmaan Thodi Hai, Sab Ka Khoon Hai Shaamil Yahan Ki Mitti Mein, Kisi Ke Baap Ka Hindustaan Thodi Hai. (Let them have issues, it isn't a matter of life or death. Everyone has played their part to make this nation, India does not belong to any single person, it belongs to everyone).

No alcohol at Diljit's Pune concert

Last month, Maharashtra's excise department cancelled the permit for serving liquor at Diljit's musical concert in the Kothrud area of Pune. The decision came after strong protests from the youth wing of the NCP party and senior BJP leader Chandrakant Patil, along with some local residents and organisations, against serving liquor at the event.

Also see:Deepika Padukone joins Diljit Dosanjh on stage during Bengaluru concert, teaches him Kannada

This came after the controversial Hyderabad concert, in which the Telangana government banned Diljit from singing songs with lyrics on alcohol.

Diljit took the ban in his stride and replaced alcohol terms with ‘softer’ substitutes like Coca-Cola. He addressed this controversy at the concert and claimed that several of his hit songs don't have mentions of alcohol at all.

“I am not defending my songs or myself. Main sirf itna chahta hoon ke agar aap censorship lagana chahte ho gaano pe toh woh censorship Bharatiya cinema pe bhi hona chahiye. Right? Bharatiya cinema mein toh jitni badi gun utna bada hero. Kaunsa bada actor hai jisne sharab ka gaana ya scene nahi kiya? Hai koi? Yaad aa raha hai? Mere ko toh koi yaad nahi araha. Toh agar aapne censorship lagana hai, toh please sab pe lagao (I just want that if you want to censor songs, then the censorship should be applied to Indian cinema too. In Indian films, the bigger the gun, the bigger the hero. Which big actor has not done a song on alcohol or similar scene? Is there anyone? I can't remember. So if you want to apply censorship, then do it on everyone),” Diljit added.

The Dil-Luminati Tour will concludewith a finale in Guwahati on December 29.