During a stage show in Mumbai, Bollywood star and singer Diljit Dosanjh praised Kashmir, referring to it as “Jannat” (paradise on earth) and urging his fans to visit the region. He said that the area is “controlled by the Indian army” and described his visit as remarkable. These comments have sparked controversy, drawing mixed reactions over his mention of the army’s role in Kashmir.
While addressing his fans he said that he reached Mumbai a day before the stage show after visiting Kashmir. He asked his cheering crowd, “Have you been to Kashmir”?
As the crowd cheered, with a smile he responded, “Please, go and visit Kashmir. It is truly heaven on earth. I have witnessed it myself that the beauty of the place cannot be described in words.”
In his brief visit to Kashmir, he was seen interacting with Kashmiri locals, visiting a temple, Gurdwara, a Muslim shrine, and being served a traditional Kashmiri beverage– Kahwa. On his Instagram, he posted a video with the caption, “KASHMIR, THE HEAVEN ON EARTH.”
In his Mumbai show, he further elaborated and said, “The place is controlled by our Fauji brothers (Indian army) and the visit has been remarkable for me.”
His comments on Kashmir, where he referred to it as “a peaceful place” due to the Army’s control, have drawn criticism from various social media users and activists.
Spokesperson for Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP), Mohit Bhan reacted to Diljith and said, “Kashmir isn’t ‘Heaven on Earth’ because of the Army’s control, @diljitdosanjh. It’s heaven because of the people , our warmth & hospitality that we offered to you and everyone else, our centuries old culture of bonhomie. Don’t erase the very essence of what makes Kashmir extraordinary. It’s resilient and generous people.”
Another user tweeted, “The purpose of Dil’JEETs tour was obviously to show how ‘OUR JAWANs’ have made Kashmir a Safe place for JEETs to travel and explore. The naive Kashmiris and the complicit Kashmiris thought DilJEET was on a mission to promote culture while some thought he promoted ‘resistance.’”
Others pointed out that several Bollywood celebrities visit Kashmir and praise the beauty of the region and effectively fail to appreciate the culture of the people. They also noted that these visits are in a way normalising “India’s control over Kashmir” and the sufferings and concerns of Kashmiris are somewhere lost while attempts are made to show that Kashmir under the Indian army is “safe and secure.”
