Singer Diljit Dosanjh tore into calls for not promoting alcohol in his songs, challenging authorities across the country to ban liquor. Addressing his audience at a concert in Ahmedabad last evening, he also said he would not sing songs on alcohol since Gujarat is a dry state.

His strong response came after the Telangana government directed him not to promote alcohol, drugs, and violence in his songs ahead of his Hyderabad concert. Mr Dosanjh, who is on Dil-Luminati India Tour, tweaked his songs ‘Lemonade’ and ‘5 Taara’ while performing in Hyderabad.

During his latest concert in Ahmedabad, he declared, “Even today I won’t sing any song about alcohol. It’s because Gujarat is a dry state.”

“If liquor is banned here, I am a fan of Gujarat government. I openly support Gujarat government for this. You close liquor shops across the country, I will stop singing songs on alcohol,” he added.

The singer further said that Bollywood has thousands of songs on alcohol whereas he has just a few.

“I have sung dozens of devotional songs. I released two devotional songs in the last 10 days. But no one is talking about that. Everyone on TV is only talking about ‘Patiala Peg’,” said Mr Dosanjh.

He said he will stop singing songs about alcohol if all states ban liquor.

“Let’s start a movement. If all states declare themselves as dry state, from the next day, Diljit Dosanjh will stop singing songs on alcohol at live concerts. I have another offer. Declare dry day for a day in whichever city I perform, I won’t sing songs about alcohol,” said the singer.

Government is preparing to permit complete foreign ownership of insurance businesses, potentially attracting major international players. The proposed legislation also empowers individual insurance agents to offer policies from multiple companies, removing the current restriction of representing only one life and one general insurer.

According to the police, they had come on a pleasure trip to the beach resort ‘Vazco’ on November 16, and were staying there.