I-T raids Kanwar Grewal who sang for protesting farmers and Sikh prisoners

While the I-T department officials did not divulge any details, sources said the search was carried out following allegations of tax evasion.

Simultaneous raids were conducted at the residence and commercial property of another Punjabi singer, Ranjit Bawa, in Chandigarh, Mohali and Batala. The premises of Bawa’s personal assistant was also searched.

The search operation began at 9.30 am and continued till the time of this report going to press.

The 38-year-old Grewal, a popular Sufi singer and lyricist, has often courted controversy over the lyrics of his songs. The singer who originally hails from village Mehma Sawai in Bathinda was actively seen participating in the farmer’s agitation against the three contentious farm laws. From August 2020 till February 2021, he released 10 protest songs. The first one, ‘Eko hi bana’, was released on August 21, 2020. His biggest hit was ‘Pecha’, which he sang along with Harf Cheema. That song was released on November 21, 2020, days before the Delhi Chalo call of farmers. The song, which went “Kichh le jatta kicchh tayari pecha pe gaya centre naal (Come on farmer, make all arrangements for marching on. This is a direct confrontation with the Centre)”, became an anthem of sorts for the farmers marching to New Delhi. ‘Itihaas’, ‘Zwaani Zindabaad’, ‘Bebe Bapu da khiyaal’, ‘Aakhree faisla’, ‘Jitega Punjab’ were some of his other songs.

Controversies

On October 10, 2020, Grewal had released ‘Ailaan’, when the protest against the farm laws was confined to Punjab. The song stated, ‘Tenu Dilli eh ekath pareshaan karega par faslan da faisala Kisan karega (Delhi this gathering will bother you but the decision about pricing of crops will be taken by the farmer).”

‘Ailaan’ was pulled down from YouTube in February 2021 on the directions of the Union government. However, by then, it had already touched 6 million views. Two days after the pulling down of this song, Grewal came out with another protest song, ‘Ailaan fer taun (proclamation once again)’. In this song, he sang, “Eh Chardi Kalan de geet gaande rahenge, jehre dar gaye ne ban karwande rehenge (they will keep on singing songs of high spirits, the ones who are frightened will keep on getting them banned.”

Grewal at that time had told The Indian Express that he would come out with another song if this one was banned too.
In July 2022, Grewal released his song ‘Rihai’, in which he sang “tussi saadi kaum de khilaaf chal rahe ho (you are walking against our community)”. The song’s theme was “assi bandi Singhan di rihai mang rahe haan (we are demanding release of Sikh prisoners, who have completed their jail terms)”. This song was also taken down from YouTube soon after its release following a legal complaint. Shiromani Akali Dal had condemned the Centre for this, as the SAD too talks about release of Sikh prisoners. However, this song is available on YouTube again now.

Grewal’s presence in the Kisan andolan

Much before the morcha shifted to Delhi, Grewal had participated in several gatherings in urban as well as rural areas to talk in support of farmers and their fight against the three farm laws. He himself reached Delhi’s borders on November 26, 2020, and regularly released video messages showing him preparing langar with the farmers or interacting with them. Most of his songs on farmer protests were shot at Delhi borders.

Even now, farmers play his songs in their dharnas being organised against the AAP government. Farmers call him a revolutionary singer who boldly supported their agitation from the front.