The entire world is currently in the grip of a health emergency which is likely to reach pandemic proportions i.e. the novel coronavirus or COVID-19. Airports are on high alert, infected people are being quarantined and virologists are trying to create a vaccine as 3,383 lives have already been lost to the disease.
The Bhojpuri music industry, however, is cashing in on the ‘trend’ by releasing songs on the subject. According to The Times of India, instead of spreading awareness, these numbers are highly crass and insensitive. Here are a few of them available on YouTube.
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“Hello Kaun Corona Virus” by Khushboo & Pravin Uttam
2. “China Se Aail Ba Corona Virus” by Rintu Gupta
3. “China Ke Pichkari Mein Corona Virus Ba” by Khesari Lal Yadav
4. “Lahenga Mein Corona Virus” by Guddu Rangeela
5. “Coronavirus Ba Choli Mein” by Aryan Bhai
Singer Govind Barbar was quoted saying, “Everyone is talking about coronavirus, that’s why I wrote a song on it.” Nirala Bidesia added,
“Now everyone uses Auto-Tune to keep tracks ready. Any time something happens, they just squeeze the lyrics in. But in the race to be the first to sing on a topic means they often overlook whether they are being sensitive.”
Needless to say, these sexualized songs have received flak for spreading racist sentiments about Chinese eating habits, rumours about how the disease spreads and unscientific ‘cures’ for the same.
#CoronaVirus and the “art” (using the word VERY loosely here) it is spawning. pic.twitter.com/UEv6RWTu5q
— Nistula Hebbar (@nistula) March 4, 2020
https://twitter.com/ewtanaya/status/1235623828111441920
https://twitter.com/SahilBulla/status/1235279700982788096
Re sharing this one.
How to turn a health emergency in a joke. https://t.co/A0zoFCmbO2
— Jyoti Yadav (@jyotiyadaav) March 4, 2020
I think there are most of peoples who don't know that where is the coronavirus !
GUDDU RANGILA PROOVED IT 🤙 pic.twitter.com/kkLChGCtwm— Js Bajwa (@JsBajwa19) March 5, 2020
Avoid lahenga, stay safe stay healthy. #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/hI2wmy3CZ1
— पाटील (@Patil_g_) March 4, 2020
People – Corona Virus is Very Dangerous .
Le* Bhojpuri Singers – pic.twitter.com/zS2caoPvQt— Prince Pandey (@p4prnc) March 5, 2020
Bhojpuri Music industry won’t spare even #coronavirus #COVID2019 https://t.co/a27vSwr9V7
— Dibyesh Giri (@imdibyesh) March 4, 2020
At a time when the World Health Organization is trying its best to curb fake news and misinformation, these songs are undoing all their hard work, don’t you think?