Kamal Ghorui
Punjabi singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh briefly halted his concert in Calgary, Canada, during his ongoing Aura Tour after noticing some audience members waving pro-Khalistan flags, videos of which have surfaced online.Addressing the situation mid-performance, Diljit Dosanjh reportedly responded to criticism from sections of the Punjabi community and the controversy surrounding his appearance on Kaun Banega Crorepati last year.In the videos circulating online the singer-actor can be heard saying, “My job is not to do charity. But whichever platform I go on, I always talk about Punjab. We often say the national media doesn’t talk about Punjab enough. I went everywhere, including on that channel (Kaun Banega Crorepati) for the sake of Punjab. I put forth Punjab’s issues there. I’ve even donated generously to my state whenever needed.” In 2025, the singer had appeared on the show and donated his earnings towards Punjab flood relief.He added, “We can give the money, we are giving it to the people. But they had made a donation, people from all over India can donate. To help the poor. That’s why I went there,” explaining his appearance on Kaun Banega Crorepati. “If you still have an issue that I sat across someone on television…jinne jhande dikhane dilkhai challo (then keep waving how many flags you want to).”Referring to his international appearances, Dosanjh added, “I even went on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to talk about Punjab and the Guru Nanak Jahaz incident. I didn’t go there to promote any film or song. I went there to bring Punjab and its issues to light so the national media would cover them.”Speaking on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last week, Dosanjh also recalled the Komagata Maru incident while reflecting on the love he has received. The ship carried 376 passengers from Punjab, of whom only 24 were allowed entry into Canada. “In 1914, when our people came to Canada for the first time, they didn’t allow us in. That stadium is just two kilometers away from that port. That’s a big thing for us, 55,000 people in the stadium. They didn’t allow us to come, but now we’re here,” he said.Earlier in October last year, pro-Khalistan group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) had announced plans to “shut down” Punjabi singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh’s concert in Australia on November 1, coinciding with Sikh Genocide Remembrance Day observed by the Akal Takht Sahib.The move came days after Dosanjh was seen touching the feet of Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan, which the group criticised. In a statement, SFJ general counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said the gesture had “insulted every victim, widow and orphan of the 1984 Sikh Genocide”.The organisation alleged that Bachchan, on October 31, 1984, had “publicly incited Hindustani mobs” with the slogan “Khoon Ka Badla Khoon” — “Blood for Blood” — linking it to the anti-Sikh violence that followed, in which more than 30,000 Sikhs were killed across India.Calling the scheduled concert a “mockery of remembrance”, SFJ urged Sikh groups and artists worldwide to boycott the event. It also said it would organise a Panthic Shutdown Rally outside the venue on November 1 and had written to Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, seeking that Dosanjh be summoned to explain his actions.
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Do you agree with Diljit Dosanjh stance on using his celebrity status to discuss issues in Punjab?
The Akal Takht, regarded as the highest temporal authority in Sikhism, had in 2010 formally declared the 1984 killings as a “genocide” and designated November 1 as Sikh Genocide Remembrance Day.“Remembrance is not for sale, and genocide cannot be normalized for applause,” SFJ said in its statement, accusing Dosanjh of commercialising a month of mourning.
