Music platform ‘Gaana’ removes song ‘Sarr Tan Se Juda’ after protests by HJS and devout Hindus

Mumbai – The recent barbaric beheadings of Kanhaiya Lal and Umesh Kolhe have shaken the entire Nation, especially the Hindu community. These killings were in retaliation to an alleged insult to the Prophet. While the Constitution of India protects the religious rights of every community, it also provides enough avenues to address the grievances of those whose religious sentiments have been hurt. Despite this, religious fanatics are seen resorting to violent means to ‘avenge the insult’. These acts of violence are spurred by oft repeated chants of ‘Gustakh e Nabi ki ek hi Sazaa, sarr tan se juda’ (Beheading is the only punishment for those who insult Prophet Mohammad). This chant has been used by religious fanatics to justify acts of violence, even killings, over alleged insults to the Prophet.

What is even more disturbing is that this chant is no longer in the realm of the religious fanaticism, it has become mainstream with it being repeated in common street protests, on social media, even songs. An example of this is a song – ‘Gutakh e Nabi ki Ek Hi Saza’ by Allama Hafiz Bilal Qadri or the song ‘Gustakh-e-Muhammad Teri’ by Syed Aftab Ali Qadri Chishti. Incidentally, both are Pakistani preachers. These songs are freely available on major platforms like YouTube, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, Hungama and Wynk. They are being downloaded and used in short videos to issue veiled threats to the non-Muslims.

Hindu Janajagruti Samiti started a Petition on its website, which is being sent to Hon’ble Minister for Home Affairs and Hon’ble Minister for Information and Broadcasting. The Petition demands the following :

1. Music platforms such as YouTube, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Gaana, JioSaavn, be issued stringent and urgent instructions that they remove any material that promotes violence in the name of Prophet Mohammad.

2. Any person who is found using these songs or such lyrics should be immediately apprehended and jailed for anti-national activities.

Hindu Janajagruti Samiti hopes that the Government of India will swiftly act on this extremely serious threat to national security and the social fabric of the Nation, and provide justice to the peaceful majority of India. Hashtag #Boycott_GaanaApp trended at fifth place on Twitter on 11th July. As a result, the two platforms ‘Gaana’ and ‘Hungama’ removed the song from their respective websites.