The song, Punjab Di Kisani, is available on YouTube. (Source: YouTube/Plasma Records)

While Punjab’s popular music industry has been facing flak for promoting gun and liquor culture, a new Punjabi song released Saturday breaks away from the trend to address a current socio-economic issue in the state. The song, Punjab Di Kisani, speaks about plight of the farming community and touches upon the three farm ordinances brought by the Centre recently.

The song takes a dig at Narendra Modi government’s ‘Achhe Din’ slogan and points to the fear among farmers of withdrawal of assured market (Minimum Support Price) for wheat and paddy crops.

It was released on Facebook on the eve of a nationwide protest by farmers scheduled for August 9, the anniversary of the ‘Quit India Movement’. Released by renowned singer Manmohan Waris and his brother, Kamal Heer, the song goes: “Pakke mull wali sadhi jama tut gai ummid, jhona, kanak ni laine kenhnde todti kharid. Achhe dinan ne Punjab di kisani dobti. Kiti Jattan ne jo mehnat lassani dobti. Asin mangde nayay sanu aggon pain dhakke, spreyan pee-pee tainon marde aa akke. Sari kurbani dobti, uton chitte ne punjab di jawani dobti (We have lost the hope of assured price…they say they will not purchase paddy & wheat as we have stopped the purchase. ‘Good days’ have ruined farming in Punjab. The unparalleled hard work of Jatt farmers has been forcibly drowned. When we demand justice, we are hit. Then because of frustration, we are forced to take our own lives by consuming pesticides. All the glory earned by us has diminished, while ‘chitta’ (drugs) has destroyed the youth of Punjab)”.

The song’s video also carries newspaper clippings about the farm ordinances.

Sung by Waris and Heer, it has been penned by Gill Raunta and composed by Sangtar. Till Saturday evening, the song had netted 48,192 views.

Known Punjabi singer and music director, Nirmal Sidhu said, “Singers must focus on the content of their songs as music has an everlasting impact on the mind of listeners. Singers should highlight social problems like the Waris brothers have done.”

Songwriter and composer Vicky Gill said, “I appreciate this effort towards making us sensitive about farmers’ plight and it is different from trending songs.”

The issue

Wheat and Paddy are purchased by Centre from the farmers of Punjab for a fixed MSP. Recent ordinances mandate that any private player can purchase farmers’ produce from anywhere. Farmer organisations claim that this is a step towards abolishing of MSP of wheat and paddy.

BKU (Dakaunda) general secretary Jagmohan Singh said that the song has presented the true picture of the plight of Punjab’s farmers. He said that it is the need of the hour that singers highlight social and economic problems of society through their work.

All farmer organisations of Punjab under the banner of All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), a platform for more than 250 farmers’ and farm-workers’ outfits will start a two-day protest from August 9. “Corporate Bhagao, Kisani Bachao” has been decided as the theme of the protest that is primarily against the farm ordinances.