Sona Mohapatra alleges threats over song Tori Surat, files police complaint against religious organisations

Singer Sona Mohapatra has filed a complaint with the Mumbai Police against alleged intimidation by certain religious bodies who were offended by the video of her song ‘Tori Surat’.

The track is a part of Mohapatra’s latest project called Lal Pari Mastani. The Sufi love song was penned by Ameer Khusrau for his beloved Nizammudin Auliya.

Detailing the complaint on her Twitter feed, Mohapatra initially tweeted to the Mumbai Police that she had received a “threatening notice” from the Madariya Sufi Foundation which had asked her to remove the video for ‘Tori Surat’ from all mediums. She said that it had claimed that the video was vulgar and would flame communal tensions. She also said that the Foundation had called her a regular offender and objected to a five-year-old Coke Studio video of her as well.

Dear @MumbaiPolice I have received a threatening notice from the Madariya Sufi Foundation to remove my music video Tori Surat from all communication mediums. They claim that the video is vulgar,will flare communal tensions.I need to know whom to write in my response to at ur end

— Sona Mohapatra (@sonamohapatra) April 30, 2018

The Sufi Madariya foundation has also called me a ‘regular offender’ & says that they find another five year old Video of me singing a Sufiana Kalam - Piya Se Naina on coke studio insulting Islam because I’m ‘dressed exposing my body’ & playing westernised music. @MumbaiPolice

— Sona Mohapatra (@sonamohapatra) April 30, 2018

Dear @MumbaiPolice the Madariya Sufi foundation claims to work for Sufism,peace & universal brotherhood in their threatening notice to me. I ask you & #India ,what about the ‘sisterhood’?Why is it that in this day & age the women expected to cover up, not sing or dance in public

— Sona Mohapatra (@sonamohapatra) April 30, 2018

The Mumbai Police then got in touch with her and Mohapatra filed a complaint at the Santacruz police station. She told The Hindu , “I have been getting the same email twice a day, and the foundation has objected to the song being performed by a woman wearing a sleeveless dress, which I find ridiculous. Since their email claims that they have also written to the police, I have submitted a detailed response to the police.”

“Mohapatra has submitted an application at Santacruz police station that the contention in the email received by her is incorrect. She said she has a certificate from the CBFC board for the content of her music video. The application is on record with the police,” Paramjit Singh Dahiya, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone 9 told Hindustan Times .

Mohapatra found support in her followers who hoped that the Mumbai Police would act swiftly on her police complaint. Lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar too tweeted his support as he condemned “regressive and reactionary organisations” who were threatening Mohapatra.

In strongest possible words I condemn those regressive and reactionary organisations who are threatening Sona Mahapatra for making a music video of a Amir Khusrau ‘ Geet . These mullas should know that Amir Khusrau belongs to every Indian . He is not your property .

— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) May 1, 2018