Sidhu Moose Wala's posthumous song 'SYL' removed from YouTube
What's the story
Late Punjabi singer-politician Sidhu Moose Wala's song SYL, released posthumously after his murder, has been taken off YouTube. Reportedly, SYL stands for Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal and was released on YouTube on Thursday (June 23). It addressed the water issue of Punjab, among others. The song had reportedly garnered over 27M views on YouTube within just two days after release. Here's more on the song.
Context
Why does this story matter?
After its release, SYL was widely streamed across platforms including YouTube but it also got mired in controversy. SYL highlights numerous issues—ranging from Punjab's water issue to the farm laws, the 1984 Sikh Riots, and more. As per Indian Express, Moose Wala wished to release SYL on the eve of the Operation Blue Star anniversary (June 6) but was unfortunately killed on May 29.
Quote
'SYL' among his other unreleased music videos
Moose Wala's friend and video producer Stalinveer told Indian Express, "He was very excited about the song and was regularly discussing with me how to shoot video of the song." "He shared pictures of Balwinder Jattana with me. But the Almighty had different plans for him," he added. SYL was among his few songs for which music videos were yet to be recorded.
Lyrics
Song's lyrics challenge statements made by political leaders
The late singer's posthumous song SYL reportedly starts with Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha member Sushil Gupta's statement, "Now we have a government in Punjab. In 2024, AAP will form government in Haryana too. In 2025, water will reach every farm in Haryana. This is not our promise but our guarantee." SYL's lyrics challenge Gupta's statement and ask for sovereignty and an undivided Punjab.
Information
Exact reason for video's removal unknown
Notably, SYL was written and composed by the late singer. The song's page on YouTube flashes the message, "This content is not available on this country domain due to a legal complaint from the government." While the exact reason behind the video's removal is not known, reports suggest that the song is considered to be controversial as it seemed to mock political leaders.