A 2019 Punjab and Haryana High Court order prohibits media that
promotes violence.
Chandigarh: Having emerged as a vibrant player in India’s entertainment scene in a couple of years, the Haryanvi music industry finds itself at the crossroads as the Haryana government intensifies its crackdown on songs accused of promoting gun culture and hooliganism.
At the heart of this escalating controversy is Masoom Sharma, a 33-year-old Haryanvi pop sensation from Jind’s Brahmanwas village, whose catchy tracks largely brandishing guns, operating gangs from inside the jails, promoting alcohol and hooliganism have made him a household name, earning crores of views on social media in the past couple of years.
But the state government’s sudden crackdown with a ban on 10 such songs, including seven of Masoom Sharma—titled Tution Badmashi Ka, Gentlemen, Do-Dada, Pistol 4-5, Paipat Ki Ladai, 60 Mukadme, and Khatoa Jail Ke Bhittar—along with tracks by singers Ankit Balian and Narendra Bhagana, has sparked a political and social firestorm in Haryana, as the singer accused a “government officer”, Gajendra Phogat, of adopting a selective approach against him while ignoring others who have made songs on similar themes and topics.
The songs have been removed from YouTube following directives from the Haryana cybercrime police, causing a huge financial loss to singers and their associates. Sharma alleged that the bans stem from a personal vendetta by a high-ranking government official with whom he has a longstanding dispute. “My songs are being banned for allegedly promoting guns, but some artists are passing off vulgarity as folk music and facing no action,” he argued. “Why is the controversial song (jointly sung by Gajender Phogat and Amit Saini) titled Tadke Paavegi Laash Nahar Mein still up on YouTube?” he added.
The accusation sparked a debate on social media dragging lines by dividing people in favour of these songs and those are opposing it, with some leaders like cabinet minister Arvind Sharma speaking in favour of Masoom Sharma said artists will sing what people want to listen and people of Haryana like “kadak” (powerful) music.
On the other hand his cabinet colleague Krishan Bedi has advocated the crackdown saying, “The youth get influenced by such songs. The government will not allow anybody to promote gun-culture and strict action will also be taken but we will not allow discrimination against anybody.”
This took another turn on 22 March when police halted a live concert by Masoom at Gurguram, when the singer was allegedly attempting to circumvent a banned song and asked the crowd to sing for him. “I’ve signed an agreement not to sing this song but you can,” prompting fans to chant the lyrics until police intervened.
Also singer Amit Saini, who had made several songs on gun-culture and hooliganism, had to face criticism when he was not allowed to sing a similar song during an event in Bhiwani.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Nayab Saini has made it clear that the government will take a tough stance against songs glorifying guns, violence, and lawlessness.
“These songs are not just entertainment; they influence our young generation toward crime and chaos,” Saini stated in a press address earlier this month. “We cannot allow gun culture to take root in Haryana. The police have been instructed to monitor and act against content that glorifies weapons and drug abuse. If needed will bring a law on gun culture”, he added.
Worried over financial losses, Masoom also met the Chief Minister and raised his concerns.
“If there is a good initiative (to ban songs on gun-culture) then I will be the first person to welcome it. But this initiative should not be limited to Masoom Sharma only—this crackdown should continue further, a law should be brought in the whole country”, he said.
Meanwhile, the government’s actions align with a 2019 Punjab and Haryana High Court order prohibiting media that promotes violence, a ruling now being rigorously enforced. Also the bans stem from a broader initiative launched two months ago during a law-and-order review meeting in Karnal, where CM Saini expressed alarm over the influence of such songs on the state’s youth.
Reacting to the allegations of Masoom Sharma, Phogat claimed, “The cyber cell removed songs based on content, not due to personal grudges. We’re all brothers in this industry.”
Other artists like Narendra Bhagana and Kay D have rallied behind Sharma, questioning the inconsistency saying, “If the government is serious about gun culture, why are only a few of us hit while thousands of similar songs remain online?”
Meanwhile, to placate the political and social outrage the Haryana government has issued directions to Gajendra Phogat to vacate his office on the 8th floor of the Civil Secretariat as the room has been allotted to Chief Minister’s media secretary Praveen Attrey. Internal reports revealed that Phogat’s term had expired along with the previous term of Nayab Saini in October last year and the government did not issue a letter to renew his contract further. But he continued to hold the position for nearly six months until the controversy took place.