Critically examine the rationale behind the recent order from the Punjab government to ban songs that glorify weapons and violence.

To address the issue of gun culture in the state, the Punjabi government recently approved an order banning the public exhibition of guns, including on social media, as well as songs that celebrate violence and weaponry.

Gun culture in Punjab:

• The state’s population makes up around 2% of all Indians. However, it represents more than 10% of all firearms permits in the nation. 
• Punjab police control one-fifth of all firearms in the province. 
• Punjab reported 2,073 gun violence-related instances between 2016 and 20 according to the NCRB.

Reasons behind gun culture:

• Punjab’s militant period, which lasted from 1978 to 1993, can be linked to the region’s current gun culture. The state issued several permits to own firearms at this time. 
• Another way to see the culture is as a result of the Green Revolution. The increased wealth of the peasantry made it easier for them to purchase firearms. 
• It eventually developed into a symbol of status in Punjabi society. 
• The problem has a religious component as well. Weapons like kirpans are an essential component of the state’s dominant Sikh faith. 
• Over time, the notion that weapons are an essential component of Sikh garb and a representation of Sikh pride and identity became profoundly ingrained in the public psyche.
• The prevalence of firearms in the state is correlated with the popularity of Punjabi pop music, particularly songs containing lyrics about guns and visuals of males brandishing firearms. 
• Gun culture’s normalization in Punjabi popular culture has long been a source of worry. The Punjab and Haryana High Court took notice of this issue in 2019 and ordered the DGP to stop songs that promote alcohol, drugs, and violence from being played and performed.

Is the government’s order justified:

• The new decree issued by the Punjab government has drawn criticism for being a “knee-jerk reaction” to the ongoing concerns over the state’s law and order situation. 
• Critics are asking how the government could impose such a restriction and obliterate a fifty-year-old tradition. 
• In the era of social media, there are concerns regarding how the government would carry out such a directive. 
• Such responses from the government demonstrate its propensity to treat the symptom rather than the underlying problem. 
• It should be remembered that outlawing a piece of art, particularly in today’s technologically advanced society, can actually encourage its popularity.

Way forward:

The state is still paying for its period of militancy, and one relic of that period is the culture of guns. It would take more than the restriction of a few songs to address Punjab’s problem with its gun culture. The problem may be resolved by addressing the existential distress and alienation experienced by the state’s youngsters.

Topics: GS-I : Salient Features of Indian Society, Diversity of India • GS-II: Government Policies and Interventions for Development in Various Sectors