Claiming to have been framed in a case of singing the vulgar song Main hun balatkari because of "mistaken identity", rapper Honey Singh has advocated before the Punjab and Haryana high court the need for setting up a censor board for screening songs before they are sung in public.

Honey Singh advocated for setting up of a censor board for screening songs before they are released. HT File Photo

On May 16, the first information report was registered at Nawanshahr city police station against Honey Singh under Section 294 (obscene acts and songs to the annoyance of others in public place) of the IPC after the state government got a rap from the high court of not taking action against the singer.

Hoshiarpur native Honey Singh, in his reply filed in the high court registry branch on Wednesday, in response to the high court notice issued to him, said he had never sung the objectionable song. Rather it was some other singer (Honey Singh) who had uploaded the song on YouTube in February 2008, and he had never met him and had no connection with him, he claimed.

"I strongly condemn the lyrics of the song, he submitted in his reply. He said he had also complained to the authorities of YouTube in May and August 2012, and in January this year and they had confirmed the receipt of the complaints. But they were reluctant to solve the problem, Honey Singh submitted.

"The person (fake Honey Singh or any other name), who has sung this song and uploaded it on the internet portal should be prosecuted for the wrong done by him and in this regard, the responsibility of the internet portal should also be fixed, in case they have acted in contravention of the provisions of law," suggested the singer.

A public interest litigation was filed by NGO HELP (Human Empowerment League of Punjab) of Nawanshahr district highlighting that Honey Singh had sung lewd/vulgar songs.

The petitioner had also named Diljit Dosanjh, Gippy Grewal, Amar Chamkila, Ashok Masti and Geeta Zaildar for singing vulgar songs.

The case will come up for hearing on Thursday.

Source: Hindustan Times