Punjab to set-up culture commission to check vulgarity in Punjabi songs

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Government today announced to set-up cultural commission known as ` Punjab Sabhyacharak Commission’ to check vulgarity in Punjabi songs.

Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu announced the setting up a Punjab Sabhyacharak Commission the Patron in Chief of the Commission would be the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh while. Navjot Singh Sidhu would be the Patron.

“ The Punjab Government is engaged in all seriousness to eradicate the menace of vulgarity from Punjabi songs and is taking this task as an article of faith, ” he said.

Sidhu announced that ‘Punjab Culture Commission’ would be formed amid the escalating concerns about rising vulgarity in the Punjabi music scenario and would tackle the menace of vulgarity by working zealously towards its complete eradication.

According to ANI, the committee is also tasked to identify instances of glorification of drug abuse, violence and depiction of any obscene elements in the songs broadcasted in the state.

Sidhu further said that this commission would be authorized by the Punjab Government and would make recommendations to take stringent action as per the provisions enshrined in the law against those singers or artists polluting the cultural scene of the state through vulgar, double meaning or violence inciting songs.

He further elaborated that if needed the commission would also be empowered to issue show cause notices those singers singing vulgar songs or those glorifying violence, then call them for counseling and still if they don’t desist then as a last resort the option of getting an FIR registered against the singer would also be open to the commission.

He further said that the Section 290, Section 294 of the IPC and the Section 67 and 67 A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 have relevant provisions to take action in this regard.

Sidhu said that renowned Punjabi writer and Punjab Arts Council Chairman Surjit Patar will finalise the members of this commission which will be nominated in the due course and it will start functioning after two weeks.

Meanwhile, Pattar said that the commission is an apolitical decision and was formed to save the history and culture of Punjab. It will be working with the coordination of the proposed Cultural Parliament of Punjab.

Patar while outlining the initiatives undertaken by the Punjab Kala Parishad to tackle vulgarity and popularize Punjabi culture said that the parishad is making painstaking efforts at district, tehsil, and village level to spread awareness with regard to the Punjabi culture, history and great heritage down to the farthest corner of the state.

For some time there has been public outcry against objectionable lyrics of Punjabi songs. In November 2012, the state  transport department had banned drivers from playing vulgar and provocative songs in the state-run transport buses as a preventive measure against fatal accidents.

Last year a lawyer in Punjab and Haryana High Court HC Arora has sought stern action from Sidhu against vulgarity in Punjabi songs. He had written a letter in this regard to the minister.

Earlier Pandit Rao Dharennavar, working as an assistant professor in sociology at Government College, Sector 46 had expressed concern over the glorification of drugs, vulgarity and criminal activities in Punjabi songs.

He had demanded that legal action against singers and lyricists of such songs.