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The Print
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Print
'Tanashahi sarkar' & Uttarakhand's legacy of folk protest: Singer booked for Dhami song speaks out
Though his music has stirred controversy in the past, his latest song criticising the state government has landed him in legal trouble, with a police complaint filed against him on charges of 'promoting enmity' and 'insulting the modesty of women'. For over two decades, the 41-year-old singer has used his songs to critique the Uttarakhand government and highlight various social issues in the hill state. New Delhi: Garhwali folk singer Pawan Semwal has never been known to mince his words, or lyrics. The song, titled Tin Bhi Ni Thami, loosely translated as 'Can't handle it for even a bit', takes aim at the state's BJP government over rising unemployment, corruption and crimes against women in the state. Uploaded on 16 July, the video includes caricatures and images of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, visuals of Dehradun police, street protests and news clippings related to crimes, including the Ankita Bhandari murder case. The video gained traction quickly, racking up over 15,000 views, 1,200 likes and 500 comments on YouTube within 24 hours. The song's lyrics are hard-hitting. One verse that seems to have hit a raw nerve says that corruption and hooliganism have increased under the Dhami government: 'Tera raj ma bhrashtachaar, gundagardi hoyin chhai, janta sadaikiyon mein lachaar, betiyon ka hona chhan balatkaar…Dhami re, ni thaami re. (Your rule reeks of corruption and hooliganism, the people are perpetually helpless, daughters are facing rapes… Dhami, you couldn't even hold it together).' Semwal has been performing for over two decades and has worked for prominent production houses like Rama Cassettes and T-Series. Although his music critiquing those in power has ruffled feathers before, neither he nor any other protest singer in the state has found themselves in the crosshairs of police in the past. Not even when he released a song in 2018 targeting then chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, highlighting rising crimes against women in the state and accusing the government of being 'asleep', directly calling out Rawat and featuring his image in the video. But his latest song has triggered a much stronger reaction. Semwal alleges that hours after the song was released, police began showing up at his door. He told ThePrint that the Dehradun police came to his Delhi house on 17 July and told him to remove some images, specifically those of the chief minister, from the video. Police also asked him to remove the chief minister's name from the video. 'We edited the song accordingly and sent it to them. But later that night, around midnight, the police came again and took me in for questioning. They dropped me back home the next afternoon,' he added. Semwal said that after modifying the lyrics and visuals, he re-uploaded the song. This time, Chief Minister Dhami's images were removed, his name was altered to 'Dami', and a few protest visuals and news clippings were replaced with generic representative footage. But the matter didn't end there. On 20 July, police came to his house in Delhi and took him to Dehradun again. He added that his producer, Deepak, was taken too, but in a separate vehicle,' he said. He then deleted the video from YouTube altogether. 'Police barged into my house as if I were a terrorist,' Semwal said. 'What crime have I committed? In Uttarakhand, artists have always come forward to voice public concerns. I've always sung about issues that matter to the hills. If we folk artists won't raise our voices, who will?' he said. The singer alleged that the police continuously pressured him to take down the video. 'I was confused. We had already taken it off YouTube, but it was widely shared on Facebook. I told them, 'How many places will you remove it from?'' Semwal was again summoned to Dehradun for questioning on Sunday. He clarified that the Delhi Police were not involved when he was picked up from Delhi each time. Semwal has not been arrested, but police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) at Patel Nagar police station under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to promoting enmity between groups, statements conducive to public mischief and the use of a word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman. Police officers confirmed the FIR to ThePrint but declined further comment, calling it a 'sensitive issue'. Legal trouble But it wasn't only the use of the chief minister's name and picture that put Semwal into trouble. After the song was uploaded again on 20 July, an Uttarkashi resident, Manju Devi, filed a police complaint alleging that a line in the song, which links a rise in the number of liquor shops to prostitution, was offensive to all women in Uttarakhand. In a now-viral video, Manju Devi is seen threatening the singer: 'If I see him, I will behead him… 28 cases have already happened and the 29th will be this one where I kill him.' Semwal has written to West Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Vichitra Veer, requesting action against the woman. 'The woman who is threatening me may either have me killed or may falsely implicate me in a serious case and get me imprisoned. Therefore, I humbly request you to kindly take strict legal action against this woman and her associates who are threatening me,' read the complaint, a copy of which ThePrint has seen. ThePrint also reached the DCP via phone calls but did not receive any response. This report will be updated if and when a response is received. Semwal, who launched his own label, Bhuvaneshwari Production, in 2018, under which the controversial song was released, called the government's actions oppressive. 'This is a tanashahi sarkar (dictatorial government). They're arresting people who are doing their work. If we can't raise concerns with the government, who else are we supposed to talk to?' The singer, whose production house has over 32,000 subscribers on YouTube and has published over 120 videos, maintained that governments should view such art as a wake-up call, not an attack. 'It depends on the government whether they want to take it constructively or suppress it,' he told ThePrint. This isn't Semwal's first brush with controversy. When he released a song targeting former Chief Minister Rawat, titled 'Uttarakhandi Jagi Java' (People of Uttarakhand, wake up), a Dehradun resident filed a complaint against him. The song highlighted the rising crimes against women in the state and accused the government of being asleep, directly calling out Rawat and featuring his image in the video. But the then-BJP government distanced itself from the matter, saying the party had no connection to the complainant. When Rawat was asked to respond to the song, he said: 'Some people like unclean water, so they go to drains; some people like clean water and they go to the Ganga.' Political slugfest The Congress has slammed the FIR and subsequent police action against Semwal, calling it an attempt to stifle dissent. 'This is nothing short of clipping the wings of a folk singer, silencing a voice that speaks for the people,' Congress spokesperson Garima Dasauni from Uttarakhand told ThePrint, adding that the Dhami-led government is acting in a manner that undermines constitutional values. She also drew a link between the song's criticism of growing addiction among the state's youth and an announcement by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) about implementing a plan to strengthen mental health and de-addiction services shortly after. The campaign reportedly will be implemented under the provisions of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017. The government notification was issued on 24 July 2023. Acknowledging that even during Congress rule, there was criticism from artists and citizens, she pointed out that 'the government then never responded with FIRs or legal threats'. 'The BJP government is not addressing real issues like unemployment or youth welfare. Instead, it continues to obsess over Muslims, madrasas, UCC, and 'jihad',' she added. The state government defended its record. 'The development work of the Dhami government is resonating across Uttarakhand. Its popularity is rooted in these efforts. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi and the capable leadership of Chief Minister Dhami, the state is progressing steadily,' the BJP's Uttarakhand chief spokesperson Manvir Singh said in a written statement to ThePrint. 'Politics rooted in negativity and propaganda is not productive. The people are aware of every motive and, as always, will respond wisely,' he added. 'Bob Dylan of the hills' Semwal isn't the first singer in the hills to use music as a form of resistance. Before him, prominent singer Narendra Singh Negi, often called the 'Bob Dylan of the hills', used Garhwali folk music to satirise those in power. His iconic Nauchami Narayana—a satirical 2006 song in the Jagar style known for its unique ability to adapt to various cultural and religious contexts—directly targeted then Congress chief minister Narayan Dutt Tiwari. The song mocked Tiwari's alleged misuse of power, red beacon culture, corruption and nepotism, portraying him as a 'Kalyug avatar'. It quickly went viral, with CDs and DVDs flying off shelves across the state. The song was banned and party workers burnt his effigies on the roads across the state. The government's attempts to ban and seize the song only intensified public outrage. Many political observers believe the backlash played a role in the Congress party's defeat in the 2007 Uttarakhand Assembly elections. The trend continued in 2012, when Negi released Ab Kathga Khailo, a sharp critique of former BJP Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank'. That song was also widely blamed for the BJP's poor performance in the state elections that year. Negi remains celebrated locally for his fearless approach, taking aim at both the BJP and Congress with equal vigour. For many locals in Uttarakhand, these folk songs have served as powerful expressions of public sentiment, giving voice to frustrations often ignored by the political establishment. 'We felt heard when these songs came out,' said 50-year-old Vikas Uniyal, a resident of Rishikesh. 'We were exhausted by endless bureaucratic hurdles and the lack of real change. Even Semwal's song gave language to what many of us were already feeling.' But Semwal said folk artists have long been neglected in the state. 'What have these political leaders ever done for our culture or for artists? One artist creates employment for three to four others — musicians, dancers. What is the government doing for them?' Anoop Nautiyal, a social activist and founder of the Social Development Communities Foundation, a Dehradun-based NGO, called the government's response disproportionate. Nautiyal told ThePrint that even without the controversy, the song would not have had the kind of impact that Negi's Nauchami Narayana had nearly two decades ago. 'The government went overboard with this one. The song wouldn't have affected them electorally at all,' he said. 'This is the age of social media, trends, and virality. People would have seen it and moved on by the time elections came around. Instead, the government should focus on core issues like hospitals, schools, roads, and governance.' He added that the shelf life of creative work today is far shorter than it was in the past. 'Back then, a song could live in the public memory for months, even years. Today, something is only relevant until the next viral trend comes along.' (Edited by Sugita Katyal) Also Read: 'Sheesh Mahal' jibe returns to haunt BJP as Dhami's pool & Rekha Gupta's 'Maya Mahal' come under Oppn fire
Indian Express
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
In Uttarakhand, a folk singer is booked for song on addiction. Two days later, state launches drug campaign
Two days after a folk singer was booked by the Uttarakhand Police over his song alleging misgovernance in the state, the Congress has thanked the singer for 'helping the CM introspect' as the Opposition party drew a connection between the song and the government's announcement of a new campaign to improve deaddiction facilities and rehabilitation centres to tackle drug abuse. Pawan Semwal, a Garhwali singer, had uploaded his new song online with the caption: 'How much more will you devour these mountains? You've turned them into dens of gambling and alcohol, unemployment, and corruption.' Subsequently, an FIR was registered on Saturday on the complaint of one Manju. The FIR alleges that 'not only have statements been made against the state government, but the singer has also attempted to dishonour the dignity of the women, daughters, and mothers of Uttarakhand'. Calling the statements in the song 'extremely offensive' and made with the intent to insult or outrage the modesty of all women residing in Uttarakhand, the complainant said that such lyrics create a feeling of insecurity among visitors and residents regarding the safety of women and portray a negative image of Uttarakhand's women across India. Semwal has claimed that he was asked to take down the song from Facebook. He had modified the song and posted it again after removing the CM's name from it. 'If they have worked well, their image is clean. Why are they pressuring me to take it down?' he had asked after the FIR was registered. Semwal had earlier composed a song on former CM Trivendra Singh Rawat. Two days later, the CMO said in a statement that a 'firm policy and strict implementation plan' has been rolled out to strengthen mental health and deaddiction services. The campaign is being kicked off under provisions of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, and the government notification dated July 24, 2023. Speaking on the government's announcement, Congress spokesperson Garima Dasauni said that the song made Dhami introspect. 'There is a connection between the song and the campaign. It also has a connection with the panchayat elections in the state. Dhami has been the CM for four years, and he is remembering these issues of drug addiction now. These were issues the CM had promised earlier, but his priority was on communal matters. Now, when people like Semwal started taking up these issues, the CM realised the mistake. I am thankful to Semwal for helping the CM introspect and realise that the youth of the state are disappointed with the government,' she said. According to the CMO communication, every district's Mental Health Review Board must conduct at least one meeting per month to ensure continuous inspection and monitoring. It added that each deaddiction centre is being thoroughly scrutinised, and those not meeting the required norms or operating without registration are being identified for financial penalties and immediate closure. Aiswarya Raj is a correspondent with The Indian Express who covers South Haryana. An alumna of Asian College of Journalism and the University of Kerala, she started her career at The Indian Express as a sub-editor in the Delhi city team. In her current position, she reports from Gurgaon and covers the neighbouring districts. She likes to tell stories of people and hopes to find moorings in narrative journalism. ... Read More
Scroll.in
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Folk singer booked for song criticising Uttarakhand government
Garhwali folk singer Pawan Semwal was booked for allegedly 'promoting enmity' and 'insulting the modesty of women' in a song allegedly criticising Uttarakhand's Bharatiya Janata Party government over unemployment and crimes against women, The Times of India reported on Sunday. The song titled 'Tin Bhi Ni Thami', which translates to 'cannot handle it even for a bit', was shared by Semwal on his YouTube channel. He also posted a link to the video on Facebook. The song linked the rise in the number of liquor shops to an increase in prostitution in the state, The Times of India reported. Following the Facebook post, a resident of Dehradun had filed a complaint against Semwal on Saturday, alleging that the lyrics were offensive to all women in the state. Based on the complaint, the police registered a case at the Patel Nagar police station. Inspector Chandrabhan Singh Adhikhari, the station house officer at Patel Nagar, said that the case was filed under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to promoting enmity between groups, making statements conducive to public mischief and using words or gestures intended to insult the modesty of women. Semwal, who was in Delhi, was summoned for questioning on Sunday. 'After a detailed questioning, he was served a notice under Section 35(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Suraksha Sanhita under which he must appear before the police whenever summoned for probe,' The Times of India quoted Adhikari as saying. 'He was also warned not to repeat such acts.' The song had been uploaded to YouTube three days ago and was taken down soon after. Semwal re-uploaded the video on Saturday but deleted it again following the police action. In a purported video statement posted on social media, Semwal said that he had faced 'immense' pressure from the police to remove the song after its initial release. The Opposition Congress accused the BJP of silencing dissent. 'The lyrics of Semwal's song are much more than what is being projected,' the newspaper quoted Congress' Uttarakhand chief Karan Mahara as saying. 'The song highlights things, which the government does not want to hear. It is the voice of every resident who wants to see change.' The BJP said that the song was 'part of [Congress'] agenda of mudslinging', The Times of India reported. 'The government has no role in registering the case,' said BJP state Spokesperson Manveer Singh Chauhan, adding that the 'law will take its own course'.
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Folk melody sparks trouble: Uttarahand singer booked for ‘joblessness, liquor, prostitution song against Pushkar Dhami govt'; netizens slam FIR
DEHRADUN: Garhwali folk singer Pawan Semwal is facing charges of "promoting enmity and insulting the modesty of women" over a song that was purportedly targeting the Uttarakhand govt led by CM Pushkar Singh Dhami on issues of rising unemployment and crimes against women. Dehradun resident Manju Lal filed a complaint on Saturday, alleging that a line in the song -- which links rise in the number of liquor shops to prostitution -- was offensive to all women in Uttarakhand. A case was filed later that night at Patel Nagar police station, and Semwal, who was in Delhi, was summoned for questioning on Sunday. Inspector Chandrabhan Singh Adhikari, SHO of Patel Nagar, said the case was filed under BNS sections 196 (promoting enmity between groups), 353 (statements conducive to public mischief), and 79 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of women). "After questioning, he was served notice under BNSS section 35, under which he must present himself before police when summoned during the probe. He was also warned not to repeat such acts," Adhikari said. The song, titled 'Tin Bhi Ni Thami' in Garhwali, loosely translated as 'Can't handle it for a bit', had first been uploaded three days ago, and then taken down. It was re-uploaded on Saturday and deleted again after the police action. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top 15 Most Beautiful Women in the World Undo Despite attempts by TOI, both Semwal and complainant Lal could not be reached. However, in a video posted on social media while en route to Dehradun, Semwal said there had been "immense pressure on him from the police to delete the song" when it was first uploaded. The case has also triggered a political row in Uttarakhand. State Congress president Karan Mahara accused the BJP govt of silencing dissent through such actions. "The song highlights things which the govt does not want to hear," he said. In response, BJP state spokesperson Manveer Singh Chauhan said, "Due to holistic development under this govt, Congress has got no issues to raise. These songs are part of its agenda of mudslinging."
Time of India
20-07-2025
- Time of India
Case against folk singer for ‘song against U'khand govt', sparks row
Dehradun: Garhwali folk singer Pawan Semwal is facing charges of "promoting enmity and insulting the modesty of women" over a song purportedly targeting the Uttarakhand govt led by CM Pushkar Singh Dhami on issues of rising unemployment and crimes against women. Dehradun resident Manju Lal filed a complaint on Saturday, alleging that a line in the song -- which links rise in the number of liquor shops to prostitution -- was offensive to all women in Uttarakhand. A case was registered later that night at Patel Nagar police station, and Semwal, who was in Delhi, was summoned for questioning on Sunday. Inspector Chandrabhan Singh Adhikari, SHO of Patel Nagar, said the case was registered under BNS sections 196 (promoting enmity between groups), 353(1)(b) (statements conducive to public mischief), and 79 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of women). "After questioning, he was served notice under BNSS section 35, under which he must present himself before the police when summoned during the investigation. He was also warned not to repeat such acts," Adhikari said. The song, titled 'Tin Bhi Ni Thami' in Garhwali, loosely translated as 'Can't handle it for a bit', had garnered over 15,000 views and 1,200 likes on YouTube by Sunday morning. It had first been uploaded three days ago, and then taken down. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search Ads Get Info Undo It was re-uploaded on Saturday and deleted again after the police action. Despite repeated attempts by TOI, both Semwal and complainant Lal could not be reached. However, in a video posted on social media while en route to Dehradun, Semwal said there had been "immense pressure on him from the police to delete the song" when it was first uploaded three days ago. The case has also triggered a political row in Uttarakhand. State Congress president Karan Mahara accused the BJP govt of silencing dissent through such actions. "The lyrics of Semwal's song are much more than what is being projected. The song highlights things which the govt does not want to hear. It is the voice of every resident who wants to see change," he said. Responding to the remarks, BJP state spokesperson Manveer Singh Chauhan said, "Due to the holistic development under CM Dhami-led govt, Congress has got no issues to raise. These songs are part of its agenda of mudslinging. The govt has no role in registering the case… the law will take its own course."
