Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh’s scheduled concert in Indore went ahead on Sunday, despite protests from the Bajrang Dal, who had raised concerns over the planned sale of meat and liquor at the event. The concert, part of his ongoing Dil-Luminati Tour, saw no alcohol or non-vegetarian food served at the venue, according to concertgoers.
Bajrang Dal had staged protests in the city on Saturday, claiming that the concert would feature open liquor consumption and the serving of meat, both of which they opposed on cultural and safety grounds. Yash Bachani, a member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), stated that the group was concerned not only about the potential for alcohol and meat being served but also for women’s safety and the possibility of a “Love Jihad” incident. “We oppose the open liquor and serving of meat to protect the culture in the city,” Bachani told reporters, hinting at the possibility of further protests if their concerns were not addressed.
In response to the protests, Indore police took proactive steps to ensure that the event proceeded smoothly. Amrendra Singh, the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for Zone 2, confirmed that the authorities had not permitted the consumption or sale of alcohol at the venue. “We take the matter of law and order, women’s security, and drug abuse very seriously. We have not allowed the serving of alcohol or its consumption in the open,” Singh said.
The Indore concert follows a series of similar controversies during Diljit’s tour. Last month, the state excise department in Pune canceled the liquor permit for the singer’s concert after protests from local political figures and organizations. The singer also faced a ban at a Hyderabad concert by the Telangana government, which prohibited him from performing songs with references to alcohol. Diljit, however, cleverly adapted by replacing alcohol references in his lyrics with lighter substitutes, such as “Coca Cola,” and voiced his opposition to censorship.
“My point is, if censorship is applied to my songs, it should be applied across the board in Indian cinema as well,” Diljit remarked during the Hyderabad concert, calling for consistency in the application of censorship laws across different entertainment mediums.
As part of the Dil-Luminati Tour, Diljit’s next stop will be in Chandigarh on December 14, with the tour finale scheduled for Guwahati on December 29.