How songs became a lifeline of farmers' protest

"Borderan te jiwe jawan dateya, vehre vich tere ni kisan dateya, tere hik utte likh zindabad chalya, Dillye ni jit ke tainu Punjab chalya ..."(Just like soldiers guard the national borders, farmers had guarded the Delhi borders ... after writing victory over your chest, Punjab farmers are returning back after winning Delhi). This song by Resham Singh Anmol blared loudly from hundreds of tractor-trollies returning from the Singhu border after a year-long protest.

This was on Dec 11, the day protesting farmers had decided to hold a 'fateh' march (victory procession). While a festive mood prevailed all along the highways, adding soul to the victorious spirit were an array of Punjabi songs, with powerful lyrics outlining stories of struggle and valour. "Pardi itihas mathe jithe bhi laye, agaye a maidan fateh karle, change bhawen maade samay dat de rahe aan ... (read history and see, wherever we Sikhs took a stand, we have won, whether time was good or bad, we have faced it with grit) are the lyrics of another victory song 'fateh morcha' by Virasat Sandhu released only 15 days back, this song has so far garnered 1.4 million views on YouTube.

All through the farmers' protest, unlike Bollywood singers who kept conspicuously quiet, Punjabi singers not only infused courage and determination but also inspired the youth by raising their morale. Kanwar Grewal and Harf Cheema enthused farmers with many motivating songs, including the one in which they throw a challenge: ave kiwe kho launge zameena saadiyan (how can you snatch away our lands..). In another song, Grewal had called upon farmers to join the protests: khich le jatta khich tayari pecha pai gaya Centre naal. This song has 14.5 million views on YouTube. The fervour and the enthusiasm that Punjabi singers built actually served as a vibrant lifeline for the farmers protest.

With foot-tapping music and moving lyrics, some of these songs do leave listeners with goose bumps. Not only at the protest sites, these songs are also being played in social gatherings and marriages along with flags of the protesting farm unions fluttering prominently. In a wedding reception that I attended recently, protesting farm union's flags adorned both the sides of the stage where the bride and bridegroom sat. Along with popular Punjabi beats, youngsters danced to the tunes of farmers protest songs.

Acknowledging the role played by Punjabi singers, films and web series, The Tribune (Dec 23, 2021) writes: "As for songs, right from Kisan Anthem sung by 11 singers, Ranjit Bawa's Punjab Bolda, Kanwar Grewal's song Ailan, Waris Brother's Asi Jittange zarur, jaari jung rakhyo, Rajvir Jawanda's Uthi jedi lehar tainu yaad rehugi, Zindabad hai kisani, Zindabad rahugi, Poojan Sahil's Farm laws wapas jao, singers established and new not just sang of the movement, but also lent it support."

The songs played an important role in increasing the strength of the protests, writes Outlook fortnightly (Nov 23, 2021). Among the most popular songs, it listed Shree Brar's Kisan Anthem sung by 11 singers and which has already touched 52 million views on YouTube. This was followed by Kisan Anthem2 which has got 16.8 million views and still counting. While highlighting the struggle being waged by farmers, the melodious and foot tapping music lingers on. Such is the popularity of some of these songs, and that includes Ranjit Bawa's Bolda Punja, that has so far crossed 38 million views. Among some of the other popular songs are Rajvir Jawanda's Sun Dilliye (7.5 million views), Gippy Grewal's Zaalam Sarkaaan (5.5 million views), Jass Bajwa's Jatta Takda Hoja (6.3 lakh views) and Himmat Sandhu's Asi Vaddange (3.2 million views).

At the insistence of the versatile film maker Amitoj Mann, I had the pleasure of joining seven Punjabi singers at the Singhu border some three months back. What amazed me was the resolve and drive they carried, standing firm with protesting farmers and exhibiting a kind of determination that I have not seen very often among the celebrities I know. "We are singers, but that does not mean we are cut off from our roots," one of them told me, with another singer telling me he hailed from a farming family and that's the identification he loves to carry up his sleeves. No wonder, many Punjabi singers had also camped for some time at a stretch or been regular visitors to the protest sites.

It doesn't end here. With the protesting farmers back in their villages, some of the prominent Punjabi singers and film personalities have now come together to form a watch group called 'Jujhda Punjab' (translating into struggling Punjab that aspires for a bright future) to proactively engage the political parties/candidates into committing for an agenda based politics in the forthcoming State Assembly elections. Generally it is believed that celebrities show up for an event to register their presence and support but what is surprising in this case is that the celebrities actually took the initiative to create this watch group.

Amitoj Mann and the popular Punjabi singer Babbu Mann had spent a few months interacting with some influential and credible voices from different walks of life to prepare an issue-based agenda they would like political parties and candidates in the election fray to endorse and commit to. Film actor Gul Panag, singers Jass Bajwa and Ranjit Bawa are also members of this group. Along with a couple of senior journalists, the team comprise experts from different fields. As a disclaimer, let me state that I too am part of this group. I have earlier been part of Team Anna and have also been active with several farming groups, including farmer unions but must acknowledge that this is the first time I join a social initiative taken by film and music industry personalities.

This is like blazing a new trail. Punjabi singers and film personalities have demonstrated that they have a role that is probably much bigger than facing the camera. First the farmers protest, and now the resolve to cleanse the messy electioneering process where real issues are invariably relegated to the backburner as political bickering takes over. Already the public response to Jujhda Punjab is huge. People are coming forward in big numbers, and they feel the civil society has to take charge to make politicians behave. This may not be as simple as it may sound, but a beginning has to be surely made.

Punjabi celebrities have taken a lead. I hope well-meaning celebrities, whether in different regions or at the national level, too wake up and rise to the occasion. People have given them a public stature they should be proud of. But don't forget, it's the payback time now.

(The author is a noted food policy analyst and an expert on issues related to the agriculture sector. He writes on food, agriculture and hunger)