Chandigarh, March 13 – Rapper-singer Badshah failed to appear in Panipat on Friday in response to a summons issued by the Haryana State Commission for Women. Its chairperson, Renu Bhatia, directed the state police to arrest Badshah over his Haryanvi track, "Tateeree," which sparked controversy.
She stated that the police in Panipat and Panchkula were directed to take action against Badshah and arrest him. Notices were also issued across the state, stating that "unless he appears before the commission, none of his shows will be allowed in Haryana."
She also directed the police to confiscate Badshah's passport if needed, to prevent him from traveling abroad to avoid investigation.
The chairperson of the commission declined to meet with Badshah's counsel, as he was asked to appear in person by 3 p.m. The counsel told the media in Panipat town that they had received a scheduled time slot from the Women's Commission. He said, "Badshah is an artist and brings glory to Haryana."
The counsel stated that the rapper had already uploaded a video on social media, seeking an apology, stating that he did not intend to hurt anyone's sentiments.
The complainant, Savita Arya, told the media that the chairperson refused to meet Badshah's lawyer. She stated that the chairperson had made it clear that "if Badshah appears by 3 p.m., the dispute could be resolved; otherwise, action would be initiated against him."
Last week, the state police registered a first information report (FIR) and initiated the process to issue a lookout notice against rapper Aditya Prateek Singh Sisodia, popularly known as Badshah, over allegations that his song features girls in school uniforms dancing in a Haryana Roadways bus and making objectionable gestures.
According to the FIR, the complainant stated that a song and video titled "Tateeree" was recently released on the official YouTube channel of Badshah, and had gone viral. The Haryana State Commission for Women has also taken cognisance of the song and issued a summons to Badshah.
Besides Savita Arya, president of the Nari Tu Narayani Utthan Samiti in Panipat, another complainant, Shiv Kumar, director of the Shiv Aarti India Foundation, alleged that "Tateeree" contains objectionable vocabulary and sexualized references, which they say objectify women and minors.