The Haryana State Commission for Women called for the arrest of the rapper Badshah after he failed to appear before the commission within the time limit.
Badshah, whose real name is Aditya Prateek Singh, is facing charges over objectionable lyrics and visual content in his music video Tateeree.
The previous warning to the rapper was issued by chairperson of the commission Renu Bhatia, who said that she would impose severe penalties against him.
On Friday, the Haryana State Commission for Women mentioned that rapper Badshah should have been arrested as he failed to abide by the deadline set for his appearance.
“I have ordered SP Panipat to get Badshah arrested from anywhere, any place and issue search orders,” she told the press.
What is the controversy about?
Soon after Badshah released his Haryanvi single Tateeree on March 1, he was hit with allegations of using obscene content and visuals in his music video. A FIR was filed against the singer in the Cyber Crime Police Station in Sector 20, Panchkula, after complaints from residents regarding the impact of the songs on society.
The complaint alleged that the song and its official video, which was released on YouTube, featured offensive language, gestures and visuals of minor girls in school uniforms. The complainant alleged that the imagery and lyrics sent a negative message to society
The content of Tateeree is being investigated under Section 296 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deals with acts that outrage public decency or disturb social harmony, as well as Sections 3 and 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986. These sections prohibit the creation, publication, or circulation of material that portrays women in an indecent manner.
The lyrics of the song were written by Badshah, and the music was composed and produced by Hiten. Its official music video was directed by Mahi Sandhu and Joban Sandhu.
Uttar Pradesh State Women Commission vice-chairperson Aparna Yadav wrote to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath seeking a ban on the rapper’s stage shows in the state and strict legal action against him.
“The song uses abusive language against women and contains objectionable visuals. Even a sacred place like a school has been referred to using inappropriate expressions. Such content severely undermines women’s dignity," Yadav wrote in her letter. She said that the video depicted schoolgirls in uniforms in a manner that was disrespectful and inappropriate, and the portrayal harmed the dignity of women.
The complainants also objected to the line "Aaya Badshah doli chaddhane, in sabki ghodi banane".
There have been multiple police cases regarding the song in Haryana, with separate FIRs being filed in Panchkula and Jind over the allegations.
Panchkula police said in a statement that “The use of the words badshala in the song had been found to depict the school environment and education in a misleading and inappropriate manner. Furthermore, objectionable and derogatory expressions towards women and girls have also been identified in the lyrics”
The Haryana Roadways department also said that a state transport bus is shown in the image without authorisations.
Badshah has since then apologised in a video on Instagram, saying "My new song, Tateeree, has been released, and I see that in one part of it, because of the lyrics and the visual representation, the message that has been conveyed, several people, especially my own people from Haryana, have had their sentiments hurt. First of all, I want to say that I am from Haryana. Those who know me know that my language, my food, my lifestyle, and my identity are all associated with Haryana. I am a very proud Haryanvi."
"I never intended to talk badly about any child or woman of Haryana," he said.
A legal representative of Badshahs told reporters that they had bought an authority letter from the rapper and sought more time after the summons by the commission.
He added that Badshah had apologised if anyone’s sentiments were hurt by the song and that it had been removed from YouTube. "Under the law, everyone has the right to present their side. But here that is not being given," the lawyer said.
Despite the apology video, the activist and the state commission has maintained its firm stance against the song and video.