Panjab or Punjab: What say Diljit!

Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh has finally addressed the controversy sparked by his recent tweet, in which he used the term "Panjab" instead of "Punjab." The singer took to his X handle to dismiss accusations of conspiracy and criticized social media users for overanalyzing the issue, especially after his tweet lacked the tricolour emoji, further fueling the backlash.

In a response, Dosanjh wrote the word 'Punjab' in Punjabi script and expressed frustration over the situation: “If the tricolour is missed once while mentioning Punjab in a tweet, it’s called a conspiracy. Even in a tweet about Bengaluru, it was missed once. If Punjab is written as Panjab, it’s called a conspiracy. Whether you write it as Panjab or Punjab... it will always remain ?????.”

The controversy erupted when Diljit announced his upcoming Chandigarh concert, spelling the region as "Panjab," a version of the name some netizens linked to the Pakistani side of the border. The omission of the tricolour emoji in his tweet further ignited accusations of insensitivity and unpatriotism.

Defending himself, Diljit criticized those who questioned his intent, explaining that "Panjab" derives from the historical Persian word "Panj Aab" meaning "Five Rivers." He also mocked the focus on English spelling, saying, “Well done to those crying conspiracy over spellings in the Goras’ language (English). In the future, I’ll write only in Punjabi: ਪੰਜਾਬ.”

The incident took another turn when fellow singer Guru Randhawa posted a cryptic message on X, writing "PUNJAB" alongside the tricolour emoji. Although many speculated that it was aimed at Diljit, Guru Randhawa did not clarify the meaning behind his post.