Supporting Indian farmers, Australia-based Sukhdeep Singh Bhogal, aka L Fresh the Lion, says music can serve as a call for action.
Sukhdeep Singh Bhogal, aka L Fresh the Lion, keeps a close eye on developments in India. When an image of a protesting farmer being subjected to police brutality went viral, the Australia-based rapper knew exactly what he had to do. Over the past month, he has been using his social media account to be the voice of the farmers, whose voices, he says, have been stifled for decades.
"The image instantly caught the attention of those belonging to the diaspora. Someone, who was perhaps like my grandfather, was being abused. Having the kind of platform that I do implies that I have a responsibility," says the rapper, adding that apart from making a case for the farmers, he wanted to highlight how the media had played mischief. "Several sections tried to defame the movement by publishing images of farmers laughing, in a bid to imply that they weren't serious, or by suggesting that they were misinformed. But they didn't show the pain that the farmers were enduring — the nights that they spent on the streets of Delhi in the winter. For many, it was a life-and-death situation. They were willing to die there, because they knew that if they failed, they would be dying a slow death anyway." Bhogal is among the few artistes who have devoted their life to further social issues. He draws a list of instances when art has been instrumental in bringing about change.
"In the late '80s in the US, hip-hop [was popularised] by artistes who spoke of poverty, and marginalisation, and of how education was important to become self-reliant. Australia has also used music as a backdrop for its various defining moments. There was a racist movement prevalent in the country, and an album called Reclaim Australia had been created to further that message. They had a song [based on] Australia Day. That was also invasion day for the indigenous people. [A song released then highlighted how] marking both the days together was [not acceptable]. It was like saying, 'I killed your grandmother, and danced on her grave.' Eventually, counsels deferred Australia Day. That's a change that was [brought about by art]," says Bhogal, who conducted collaborative sessions with international artistes to draw attention to the protests.
Analysing conflicting opinions of Indians when situated in a distant country demands precision. But Bhogal believes he is in sync with people's sentiments. After he shared an image of water cannons being used on a vulnerable farmer, mutual associates facilitated an interaction between the two. "We connected over messages, and one of the things that he said was how grateful the farmers were for the support that they had received from people living overseas."
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