Video clip of singer Diljit Dosanjh’s stage performance shared on social media with false claim

A verfied Twitter user shared a video clip of singer and Bollywood actor Diljit Dosanjh performing at the Coachella Music Festival in California’s Indio, and claimed that he disrespected the Indian Tricolour. In its investigation, PTI found that the singer didn’t disrespect the Indian flag, and the video clip was shared on social media with a false claim.  

Claim

A verified Twitter user on April 25 shared a clip of singer Diljit Dosanjh performing at the recently held Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California, and claimed that the singer had disrespected the Indian National Flag. 

“So @diljitdosanjh objects when someone waves Indian tricolour during one of his concert in the US.  Which passport he’s carrying? Republic of KhaIistan? Shame on those Indians who listen to such 2rs artists.(Sic),” read the post, which has garnered over 10 lakh views and 3,500 retweets. 

“लड़की द्वारा भारतीय झंडा उठाने पर बोले दलजीत लड़की द्वारा भारतीय झंडा उठाने पर बोले दलजीत म्यूजिक सबका साँझा है किसी एक का नहीं,” read the text in the video.

“When a girl raised Indian Flag, Diljit Dosanjh said music is for everyone, not for one individual,” read the English translation of the text.

Here is the link and archive link to the post. Below is a screenshot of the same:

Dosanjh’s Punjabi speech in the video roughly translates to, “That girl is standing with the flag of my country. This (program) is also for my country. Music is for all; music does not belong to any single one. Please avoid negativity."

Investigation

The Desk, during its investigation, noticed a comment by another verified Twitter user on the viral video, which said that Dosanjh had not disrespected the Indian Flag and the singer’s words were being misrepresented.

The tweet in the comment, which has over 4.64 lakh views and 2,610 likes so far, read, “At Coachella, @diljitdosanjh made a point to spread harmony & brotherhood. At the end of the concert, he dedicated his performance to Punjab & India. He said, “eh mere Punjabi brain bhraawan layi, mere desh da jhanda laike khadi aa kudi, eh mere desh layi, negativity ton bacho, music saareyan da saanjha”. 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. It’s not his fault that you don’t understand simple Punjabi.”

Here is the link and archive link to the tweet. Below is a screenshot of the same:

PTI then went through Dosanjh’s social media handles to check if the singer had made a public statement regarding the viral video.

On April 25, the singer posted a tweet addressing the claims that he had disrespected the Indian Flag. The singer, while asking people to stop spreading fake news and negativity, says that not only did he not disrespect the Indian Flag, but he dedicated his performance to the country.

“DON’T SPREAD FAKE NEWS & NEGATIVITY Mai Kiha Eh Mere Desh Da Jhanda Hai 🇮🇳 Eh Mere Desh Lai. Means MERI Eh Performance Mere desh Lai Je Punjabi Nhi Aundi Tan Google Kar leya Karo Yaar… Kion ke Coachella Ek Big Musical Festival Aa Othey Har desh to log aunde ne.. that’s why Music Sab Da Sanjha Hai. SAHI GAL NU PUTHI KIVE GHUMAUNA KOI TUADEY WARGEYA TON SIKHEY 👏🏽 ENU V GOOGLE KAR LEYO.. (sic),” read the post, which has over 10.7 lakh views and 2,980 retweets so far.”

When translated from Punjabi to English, the tweet read, "Don't spread fake news and negativity. I said this is my country's flag for my country. This means this performance of mine is for my country. If you don't know Punjabi, then Google it, friend. Because Coachella is a big music festival, people from all countries come there, so everyone shares music. How to turn the right thing into the wrong one should learn from you. Google it too."

Here is the link and archive link to the post. Below is a screenshot of the same:

Dosanjh had also retweeted a post by politician Manjinder Singh Sirsa on the viral claim that the singer had disrespected the Indian Flag. Sirsa quote tweeted the now-deleted video from the incident, which was shared on Twitter by a handle named PunFact. 

“It would be better if  @pun_fact starts posting the complete video. @diljitdosanjh dedicated this concert to India and Punjab.  He said, “Eh mere Punjabi bhain bhraawan layi, mere desh da jhanda laike khadi aa kudi, eh mere desh layi, negativity ton bacho, music saareyan da saanjha” It’s shameful that some handles are creating a negative agenda and spreading hatred,” read Sirsa’s post, which has garnered over 6.23 lakh views and 552 retweets so far.

Here is the link and archive link to the post. Below is a screenshot of the same:

PTI subsequently concluded that Dosanjh’s statement had been misrepresented and shared on social media with a false claim.

Claim

Singer Diljit Dosanjh disrespected the Indian Flag while performing at the Coachella Music Festival in the USA.

Fact

The statement made by Dosanjh during his performance had been misconstrued.

Conclusion

A verified Twitter user shared a clip of singer Diljit Dosanjh performing at the recently held Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California, and claimed that the singer had disrespected the Indian National Flag. In its investigation, PTI  found that the singer had dedicated his performance to the country and did not insult the Indian Tricolour. The singer’s statement was misconstrued and shared with a false claim.