Bhojpuri songs are a staple for celebrations, festivals and political campaigns in Bihar but have often fallen foul of authorities and societal standards due to objectionable lyrics. The Special Branch of Bihar Police has now issued an advisory against the use of obscene, double-meaning and casteist lyrics that hurt the dignity of women and Scheduled Castes.
A communication to this effect has been sent to all District Magistrates (DMs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs), and all IGs and DIGs have been informed as well.
An alert was issued earlier in Bhojpur and Siwan to take strict action against the makers when such songs degrade a particular section of the society. But the production and release of songs with casteist lyrics increased over time instead of deceasing. With Mahashivratri being celebrated on Saturday and Holi coming up on March 8, authorities are taking preventive action against such songs and those who upload them on social media.
The circular issued says special care should be taken to enforce total ban on vulgar Bhojpuri songs during the Shivratri and Holi festivals. It recalled the February 11 violence in Bhojpuri-speaking Bhojpur and Siwan districts when, during a public show, Bhojpuri singers used invectives in their songs against particular castes. The police had to intervene when the singers attacked Scheduled Caste communities through their songs. Police had to resort to lathi-charge and suspend the show.
“We appeal to the people to play songs that don’t hurt the sentiments of any community. We will act if anyone is caught violating our directives,” ADG (HQ) GS Gangwar told the media on Friday.
Identity vs Vulgarity
Language, especially in a country like India whose states lines were drawn on linguistic basis, is not just a structured method of human communication but is the soul and identity of its practitioners.
In the case of Bhojpuri, the language has travelled far to the urban attractions of India and further beyond its borders from eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as migrant workers took their trunks and tongue to new places of work.
But the charm of Bhojpuri has over the decades been punctured by the vulgarity that has become synonymous with its songs. Families that have been speaking the language for generations are apprehensive of passing it down to their children, lest they should be looked down upon. They prefer to communicate with the children in Hindi whose image hasn’t been tainted yet by the equally vulgar lyrics that sell Bollywood songs.
The debate is intense. While some say Bhojpuri shouldn’t be punished because of the opportunism of some song writers, others welcome the move to gag such songs to preserve the Bhojpuri folk culture.
Voices Against Vulgarity
“The government’s initiative to ban the broadcast of songs containing casteist words is welcome. This work should have been done long ago. But it’s okay, better late than never. The government should also ban obscene songs,” said Neha Singh Rathore who has become a social media sensation for songs criticising the government.
Bhojpuri singer Neetu Navgeet agreed. “The use of obscene and casteist words in the songs is indicative of a disgusting mentality. These hate-mongering songs cannot be classified as folk songs. Folk songs unite the society. They bring a sense of togetherness,” she said.
Bhojpuri actress Akshara Singh echoed a similar sentiment. “I have been against the vulgarity right from the beginning. I can’t express how happy I am after this order. It’s unfortunate that we have failed to save Bhojpuri from vulgarity. Awareness and restrictions would certainly bring change.”
Clean-Ups of the Past
This is not the first time action has been taken against objectionable Bhojpuri content. In 2021, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath had directed the state’s Film Development Council to reject grants to any movie that promotes obscenity and violence. Around 75% of Bhojpuri songs and films are produced in Uttar Pradesh and considerable subsidies were given to them in the years past, but the grants dried up after the CM’s directives.
Actor-turned-politician and BJP MP Ravi Kishan had also expressed concerns over the rising vulgarity in Bhojpuri movies. He had written a letter to then I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar and Yogi Adityanath seeking a strict law against vulgar content in Bhojpuri cinema.
In Bihar, after receiving a complaint in his Janta Darbar in July 2021, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had directed the Chief Secretary to take strict action against offenders who play vulgar Bhojpuri songs in public. But the directive of the CM faded in importance with time.
Will the offenders mind their language this time?
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