Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh has been subjected to heavy trolling on social media after becoming the first Punjabi artist to perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California.
Dosanjh was widely praised for his performance by fans and notable figures in the Punjabi music industry. Gurdas Mann, a renowned Punjabi singer, called it a significant day for Punjabi music. The US embassy in India also tweeted its support, saying, "The @coachella crowd moves to the beat of @diljitdosanjh! Excited to see the first Punjabi singer at one of the biggest music and arts festivals in the US!"
However, the trolling began after a Twitter user with the handle @pun_fact posted a cropped video clip, claiming that Dosanjh had accused a girl of inciting hatred by waving the Indian flag during a music performance in America. The tweet quickly went viral and was shared widely, attracting criticism and condemnation from many users.
Dosanjh responded to the allegations by sharing a video on his Instagram account that sought to debunk the propaganda against him. In the video, a woman explained that Dosanjh had actually dedicated his performance to India and Punjab, and had urged the audience to avoid negativity. Dosanjh also tweeted in Punjabi, "I said this is the flag of the country. This is for my country.. means my performance is for my country. If you don’t know Punjabi then google (to find out the meaning). Because Coachella is a big musical festival where people come from every country that is why music belongs to all."
Despite Dosanjh's clarification, @pun_fact continued to troll him, posting comments on his tweets and asking him to explain why he had mentioned the Indian flag and negativity during his performance.
Dosanjh's appeal was supported even by BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who had earlier quoted-tweeted @pun_fact’s tweet aimed at Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, taking exception to this trolling, tweeting, “It would be better if @pun_fact starts posting complete video. @diljitdosanjh dedicated this concert to India and Punjab."
Dosanjh's performance at Coachella has been a significant moment for Punjabi music, and his success and recognition have been celebrated by many in the industry. However, the trolling he faced on social media highlights the challenges that celebrities often face in dealing with negative and false propaganda.