Singer-rapper Honey Singh and Diljit Dosanjh have demanded to make India a dry state, banning liquor after the government’s order to exclude alcohol-related words from their songs in concerts. Hoeny has jumped into the debate on curbs on alcohol and violence-related lyrics in songs, a cause that has recently picked up pace following advisories issued by states like Telangana and Chandigarh. It started when Diljit was told not to make a mention of alcohol during his concert in Hyderabad. The party anthem icon came out swinging at the very approach.
Are they shutting down liquor stores? No. If they’re serious, make the states dry or turn India into a dry country. Then we can talk about these restrictions,” Singh said.
He termed the advisory a “scam”, stating that the sale of liquor contributes largely to the revenue of states.
Although Singh has publicly shared that he no longer drinks, he expressed support for a dry India.
Honey Singh and Diljit Dosanjh on the same forum, ask the government to ban liquor before banning alcohol songs
“I don’t drink now, so it’s a good cause. If such a movement begins, I’ll join it. We’ll even create songs celebrating lassi, chhaaj, or jal jeera,” he added with a laugh.
When asked how he would rework his hit alcohol-themed tracks such as Char Bottle Vodka, Singh joked,
“What’s left without the alcohol references? It’ll just be an instrumental with beats.”
Singh also justified the cultural context of alcoholic beverages, mainly during Punjabi culture. He added that many legendary Punjabi tracks, like Apna Punjab Hove by Gurdas Maan, involve liquor.
“It’s part of our culture. It’s not just Punjab—Punjabi communities across Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad also celebrate this tradition. Weddings, parties, celebrations—alcohol is present everywhere,” he noted.
The controversy over such references gathered momentum when Diljit Dosanjh spoke out about the issue during his concert in Ahmedabad. When he received an advisory in Hyderabad, Dosanjh questioned whether banning references to alcohol in music made sense when liquor sales continued to be legal.
“If every state bans liquor consumption completely, I’ll never sing about alcohol again,” he remarked, calling for collective action.
Watch Honey’s full interview with India Today
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