The Sutlej-Yamuna Canal, which is at the centre of a conflict between the singer's native state of Punjab and neighbouring Haryana, is discussed in the music video .After receiving a complaint from the government, YouTube has taken down a popular music video created posthumously by the deceased Sikh artist Sidhu Moose Wala in India.
The Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, which has been at the centre of a protracted water dispute between the late Sikh rapper's native state of Punjab and neighbouring Haryana, is the subject of the song "SYL. "The song, which was published posthumously on Thursday, also dealt with other delicate subjects including the violent riots against the Sikh community that erupted in India in 1984 and the army's invasion of a significant Sikh shrine in Amritsar that same year.
Before it was removed on Sunday, the video had amassed around 30 million views and 3.3 million likes on the singer's YouTube page.
A notice was displayed on the song URL explaining that "This content is not available on this country domain owing to a legal complaint from the government ."A YouTube representative said in an email to the AFP news agency that the music had merely been taken down "keeping with local laws and our Terms of Service after a thorough evaluation."
According to local media reports, Moose Wala's family referred to the song's removal as "unjust" and urged the government to drop the complaint.
They may be able to outlaw the song, but they will not be able to erase Siddhu from peoples' hearts. The Hindustan Times article reported uncle Chamkaur Singh as saying, "We will consider legal possibilities with attorneys.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is in power, did not answer when Al Jazeera news contacted them for comment.
Activists for internet freedom are worried about the restriction of online content by the government in “an opaque manner”, calling it a “concerning situation” .Prateek Waghre , policy director at Internet Freedom Foundation, a charity that fights for digital rights in India, told Al Jazeera, "We don't know when they (government orders) are issued and we only find out when someone is harmed."
"In this instance, a prominent account was impacted, and it was discovered. Users frequently aren't even notified when action is taken against their content.
The "room for dissent" on the Indian internet, according to Waghre, is suffering from "constant and progressive erosion."
Shot dead in his car
Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, commonly known as Moose Wala, was shot and killed in his automobile last month in the northern province of Punjab.
In India and among Punjabi populations overseas, particularly in Canada and Britain, the 28-year-old was a well-known musician.
Fans from all over the world were outraged and angry after his death .Three guys were detained by Indian police last week on suspicion of killing Moose Wala, and they also recovered a number of weapons, including a grenade launcher.
According to media sources, the guys allegedly acted at the direction of Indian-based mobster Lawrence Bishnoi and his Canadian partner Goldy Brar.
With catchy songs attacking rival rappers and politicians, Moose Wala became well-known. He portrayed himself as a man who stood up for his community's pride, served justice, and killed foes.
He received criticism for using firearms frequently in his music videos, which were seen as glorifying gun culture.
His assassination also brought attention to Punjab's organised crime, which serves as a significant gateway for drugs coming into India from Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Many viewers connect the narcotics trade – mostly heroin and opium – to an uptick in gang-related violence and the use of illegal arms in the state.
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