MBA grad seeks credit for song in PM’s biopic

Vadodara/ Anand: A fresh controversy has surfaced over the lyrics of ‘Saugandh Mujhe Iss Mitti Ki’ song that features in Hindi biopic titled ‘PM Narendra Modi’ which is scheduled to be released on April 5.
A resident of Anand, Kuldeepsingh Jadeja, has claimed that he had originally penned the 24-line poem during the countdown to 2014 Lok Sabha polls and dedicated it to Modi, then Gujarat chief minister and BJP’s prime ministerial candidate.

Jadeja also has an appreciation letter which the then CM had sent to him on March 26, 2014. The film’s title mentions Prasoon Joshi as lyricist.

“I had written this poem in December 2013 in the background of the conditions that were prevailing in the country in those days,” said Jadeja, 30, who works as HR manager in a private firm.

An MBA from J H Patel College affiliated with Gujarat Technological University (GTU), Jadeja told TOI that he hopes Modi will intervene and ensure justice to him.

“All I want is that my name should be acknowledged,” he said, adding that earlier too he had brought it to the notice of all.

The poem was first sung by Sukhwinder and recited by Modi as BJP anthem for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. “Even at that time, when the video was uploaded on YouTube, Prasoon Joshi’s name was mentioned as lyricist and I had demanded that my contribution should be acknowledged,” he said.

There are minor changes after the common opening “Sougandh mujhe is mitti ki...” If Jadeja wrote “...nahin jhukne doonga” and “nahin bikne doonga”, Joshi's song says “...nahin mitne doonga”.

Further, Joshi's line “Meri dharti mujhse pooch rahi, kab mera karz chukaoge,” is only fine-tuning of Jadeja’s line , ‘Ye dharti mujhse pooch rahi kab karz tu chukayega.’