News Mania Desk/ Piyal Chatterjee / 20th September 2024
Arijit Singh recently lost his cool when, while on tour in the UK, a fan asked him to perform the protest song Aar Kobe, which he created in response to calls for justice for the RG Kar rape and murder victim from Kolkata. A video that was taken during the singer’s tour has appeared online. The singer can be seen answering the fan’s request in the video.
Arijit Singh is heard singing Ramta Jogi from the 1999 movie Taal in the video. But when a fan asks him to, he pauses to answer and can be heard saying, “This is not the place, people haven’t come here to protest. Ya? They have come here to listen to me. That’s my job, right? That is my heart, that one you are saying. Not the right time, right place.”
He added, “If you really feel about it, go. Go to Kolkata. Yes. Gather some people, a lot of Bengalis are here. Go on the street. Ya?” He started singing and paused again to mention, “That song is not monetised. It will never be monetised. It is not copyright. Anybody can use it.”
On August 28, Arijit Singh posted the protest song on his own YouTube account. The vocalist wrote, composed, and sang the song. It was dedicated to the women who suffer from gender-based violence and to the rape and murder victim from RG Kar College.
Sharing the video, the singer shared in his YouTube description: “This song is a cry for justice, a lament for the countless women who suffer in silence, and a demand for change…Our song echoes the voices of doctors across the country, who tirelessly serve despite the dangers they face. This is not simply a protest song—it is a call to action. It is a reminder that our fight for women’s safety and dignity is far from over. As we sing, we remember the tireless efforts of those on the frontlines—our doctors, our journalists and our students who deserve not just our respect but our protection.”
The song released 19 days after a postgraduate trainee woman doctor was raped and murdered in the seminar hall of Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.Arijit, who was initially scheduled to start his UK tour in August, postponed it to September due to health issues. He kick started his tour on September 15 in London, followed by Birmingham on September 16, and Rottedam on September 19. On September 22, the singer will perform at Manchester.
