Kannadiga prof on warpath over vulgarity in Punjabi songs

Our Correspondent

Advertisement

Patiala, November 18

Annoyed over the label of drugs and crime on Punjab, Kannadiga man Pandit Rao Dharennavar, working as an assistant professor in sociology at Government College, Sector 46, Chandigarh, held a protest in the home city of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh expressing concern over the glorification of drugs, vulgarity and criminal activities in Punjabi songs.

Pandit Rao flashed a placard for almost two hours in front of the city bus stand which also comprised a warning of legal action against singers and lyricists of such songs. 

Expressing concern over the way Punjabi youth was blindly following the West, Rao said it was heartbreaking to know that youth were unaware of their history and background. “Though they claim to be Punjabi, very few of them are actually concerned about their language and literature. Forget about reading Punjabi poets and historians, they are not even aware of their names and that’s what actually bothers me. No community can survive without respecting its culture and the situation in Punjab on that front is quite alarming,” he said.

Promoting drugs, alcohol and flaunting weapons were maligning the reputation of hardworking Punjabis, who brought green revolution in the country, he added. 

He said he had decided to start a drive against such ‘antisocial’ songs and if the singers and lyricists of such songs failed to admit their guilt, he would lodge a legal case against them in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Earlier, Pandit Rao had also initiated a campaign for the promotion of Punjabi and had also asked the authorities concerned to write Punjabi on top of all sign boards on national highways. Rao narrated how he took up this goal of saving Punjabi. “I came to Chandigarh in 2003 for teaching sociology but faced language problems initially as most of the students came from rural areas and were not well versed in English. So, in order to form a rapport with them, I started learning Punjabi and soon fell in love with the language and the rich culture,” he said.