The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
From Rajasthan teen to noted names in Haryana, pro-bjp singers take ‘400 paar’ message to voters
“YEH LAHAR nahi lalkaar hai, abki baar 400 paar hai (this is not a wave but a dare, this time we will cross 400).”
Meet 15- year-old pr er na pan ch ari ya from Rajasthan’s Bikaner whose song full of the BJP’S poll catchphrases has garnered 1.2 million views in 3 weeks and is a massive hit with BJP supporters.
Dressed in a white kurta-pyjama and a Nehru jacket, Prerna, who started off singing bhajans, also sings of “Modi ka parivar (Modi’s family)” and “Modi ki guarantee (Modi’s guarantee)” and highlights“india’ s standing in the world ”. the teenager is not the only singer singing about Modi’s return for a third term and the BJP’S election issues. There is also her “inspiration” Kavi Singh, a 25year-old singer from Rohtak in Haryanaand31-year-oldpardeep Boora who is also a Haryanvi, part of a group of singers who dabble in a genre that has broadly come to be labelled as Hindutva pop.
For the 15-year-old, this is not a new terrain. She has made music about PM Narendra Modi in the past. Her first song on Modi was called “Chowkidar (watchman”). It has 20 million views to date. The themes she sings about range from China to the Ayodhya Ram Temple consecration.
“I met (Union Transport and Highways minister) ni ting ad kari, who told me he had seen the Chowkidar song. Even (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah featured my song once at a rally,” she tells The Indian Express.
Though Prerna’s family has no affiliation with the BJP, they claim to have good ties with several top party leaders, including Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. “We even met PM Modi,” says Prerna, pointing to a picture of her with the PM. “I saw him last August at an airport when he visited Rajasthan.”
Prerna’s songs are written by a poet in Lucknow and composed by either her father or music teacher. She says she wants to focus on her singing and better her talent. “Sirf BJP ke mudde ke baare main gaati hai (We only sing of the BJP’S issues),” her father Girdhari emphasises.
Then there is Kavi Singh on whom Prerna has modelled much of her appearance in videos. The song that boosted Singh’s career was one on the Pulwama attack in 2019. She tells The Indian Express that her foster father uploaded the song on Whatsapp and it became a hit overnight, becoming the background track in several videos on social media.
Singh has also sung songs on Article 370 abrogation, Ram Mandir, Hindutva, and “Akhand Bharat”. In a song called Hindutva, she sings, “Kaho garajkar hum Hindu aur Hindustan humara (Proclaim loudly we are Hindus and Hindustan is ours).”
Singh also says the BJP approached her to make a song on the PM titled “Phir Modi ko le aao (Let us bring Modi back)”. The song was uploaded two weeks ago and has around 57,000 views till now. Last year, she sang a similar song about bringing Modi back to power, titled 2024 Main Modi Ko Lana Hai (In 2024, we have to bring Modi to power).
Singh says she “only sings what is true”. This time, she adds, the “BJP will not get as many seats” and will not cross 300. “I campaign for leaders, share the stage, and even deliver speeches ... But I do a background check of the leaders who approach me. I check with local RSS leaders.
While I support BJP causes, I also take money for rallies according to the time, place and needs of candidates,” she says.
But it is not just the two. Pardeep Boora, who has sung 29 commercial songs to date, has also released a “400 paar” song. In a video that went viral on Facebook, Northeast Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari and BJP’S national secretary O P Dhankar were seen dancing to the song at a hall in Delhi. Unlike the other two, Boora joined the BJP in 2022 and this is his first song for the party. “I have written two more songs. One of these is on the Ram Mandir. I am singing on behalf of the people. Everyone wants Modiji back in power,” he says.
Meanwhile, the Congress has also released an official poll song, “Haath badalega halat (Congress will help improve the situation)” but it has received a tepid response, with about 15,000 views since its release on April 15.
“We are seeking votes and stating that your vote can change the state of affairs... It has resonated well with people,” says Congress communications war room chairperson Vaibhav Walia.