Diljit Dosanjh has responded to the criticism surrounding his “I’m an artist” comment on the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, saying the remark should not be taken as an indication that he lacks the courage to take a stand.
Addressing fans during his concert at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Friday, the Punjabi singer said, “Punjabion ko naa sikhaao kaise ladayiaan ladi jaati hain,” which means, “Do not teach Punjabis how to fight battles.”
Diljit added that no one understands how to stand up for a cause better than a Punjabi. The concert concluded with laser displays carrying the messages “Main Hoon Punjab” and “I’m an artist bro.”
Abhijeet Dipke attends Delhi concert
Abhijeet Dipke of the Cockroach Janta Party was also present at the concert. Dipke had earlier criticised Diljit over the remark and later shared a selfie from the event on Instagram.
In an open letter addressed to the singer, Dipke said he respected Diljit’s authenticity but had been hurt by his comments during the protest. He said he wanted to leave the disagreement behind and move forward as brothers, while reiterating his admiration for the singer.
“Paaji, back in June, when we were protesting, I was a little hurt by your comment. Not because I had anything against you personally, but because I've always seen you as someone who speaks up for the cause, just like you said yourself. If anything, I've always been an admirer of yours, and that hasn't changed,” Dipke wrote.
What Diljit said during the protest controversy
The dispute began during an Instagram Live session in which Diljit was asked about the CJP protest in Delhi. He said he wanted to be kept away from protests and politics, adding that he was an artist and not a politician.
He also said that everything in the world could not always be right and quoted a line from the Guru Granth Sahib: “Nanak dukhiya sab sansar, so sukhia jis naam adhaar.” Diljit said he was not familiar with the issue and therefore had nothing further to add.
The remarks disappointed several fans because Diljit has frequently used his public platform to speak about issues connected with Punjab.
A month later, following the “Sansad Chalo” march on July 20, Diljit called on the authorities to hear the students’ demands. He also condemned the violence that occurred during the protest at Jantar Mantar, writing that “the voice of the people is the voice of God.”
The singer has also spoken about facing criticism in the past, saying he had been labelled “anti-national” several times and expected that he could be given the same label again.
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