Fact check: Diljit Dosanjh did not object to Indian flag being waved at Coachella

by Shinjinee Majumder

A clip of Diljit Dosanjh’s performance at the Coachella music festival in California is viral with the claim that Diljit objected to a girl waving the Indian flag during his performance. According to the tweets, he said, “Don’t spread hate, music belongs to everyone, not one country” in Punjabi in the viral clip. He was accused, by social media users, of having no respect for the Indian Tricolour.

Verified Twitter account PunFact tweeted the clip with the same claim. (Archive)

Verified Twitter account Mr Sinha, who shares misinformation on a regular basis, tweeted the same clip and questioned whether Diljit carried a Khalistani passport. He also called Diljit a “2 Rupees” artist. (Archive)

Journalist Abhijit Majumder quote-tweeted PunFact’s tweet and suggested that the foreign office blocked Diljit’s entry to India. He further called Diljit a Khalistani puppet while stating that he had been continuously carrying out anti-India activities and getting away with it. (Archive)

Twitter handles @BeingPolitical1 and @MithilaWaala also tweeted the clip with the same claim.

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Fact Check

Diljit Dosanjh took to Twitter to refute the allegations that were levelled against him. In his clarification, he urged people to refrain from spreading fake news and negativity, and stated in Punjabi, “I said, ‘This my country’s flag and this is for my country which means my performance was for my country. If you don’t understand Punjabi, then please Google it. Because Coachella is a big music festival where people from all countries come. That’s why music is for everyone. People should learn how to misrepresent a good thing from you. Google this too”.

User Jas Oberoi tweeted the clip and transcribed what Diljit said. Oberoi clarified that Diljit wanted to spread harmony & brotherhood through his words and dedicated his performance to Punjab & India. He wrote, “Anti-Sikh handles are spreading falsehoods & hatred against him by misrepresenting his comments. HE DID NOT ASK the girl to take down the Indian flag”.

Diljit also retweeted Manjinder Singh Sirsa’s tweet containing the clip wherein Manjinder transcribed what can be heard in the video and refuted the viral claim.

Below is the transcript and translation of what Diljit Dosanjh can be heard saying in the video:

Eh mere Punjabi bhain bhraawan layi, (this is for my Punjabi brothers and sisters)
Mere desh da jhanda laike khadi aa kudi, (a girl has brought my country’s flag)
Eh mere desh layi, (this is dedicated to my nation)
Negativity ton bacho, music saareyan da saanjha. (Beware of negativity; music belongs to all of us)
Hanji Veere thuada Vi hai (This music is also yours)

As the reader might notice, Diljit does not disrespect the Indian Tricolour. He, in fact, dedicates his performance to his country. He urges his audience to stay away from negativity and states that music belongs to everyone, addressing the large number of people from different countries attending his concert.

Thus a clip of Diljit Dosanjh’s performance at Coachella is falsely viral with the claim that he disrespected the Tricolour and objected to a girl waving the Indian flag at his concert. In reality, his words have been mistranslated and misconstrued. He actually dedicated his performance to India.

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About the Author

Student of Economics at Presidency University. Interested in misinformation.