Political song by deceased singer removed from YouTube after “legal complaint”

A popular posthumous music video by Indian singer and rapper Sidhu Moose Wala, who was shot dead last month, has been removed from YouTube following a “government legal complaint.”

The song, titled “SYL,” refers to the controversial Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal, a controversial infrastructure project that involves building a 214-kilometer-long canal in the area surrounding the Indian states of Punjab and Haryana to connect the Sutlej and Yamuna rivers.

The dispute dates back to the decades-old Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan, which previously allowed the “free and unrestricted use” of the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers.

In 1966, the creation of Haryana from the old and undivided Punjab raised the problem of allocating Haryana’s share of river water.

Moose Wala’s new song, which has been removed from YouTube, is based on talks in Punjab about the SYL project, which has long been a point of contention between the states.

The singer reportedly composed the song before his death on May 29.

When attempting to watch the music video, users were presented with the message: “Due to a government complaint, this content is not available on this country domain.”

Since its release, Moose Wala’s new track has been viewed over 27 million times.

The Independent has asked the representatives of the deceased singer for a comment.

A statement from the Indian federal government on the “legal complaint” it cited is still pending.

Moose Wala was shot dead in Punjab last month after his security detail was curtailed as part of a crackdown on “VIP culture” by the state’s two-month-old Aam Aadmi Party government.

In a press conference, Punjab’s top police officer Viresh Kumar Bhawra said that Sidhu’s SUV was fired at while he was travelling with two others in Jhawahar Ke village in Mansa district.

“Moose Wala left his house in Moosa village at 4.30pm. At around 5.30pm, he was driving his jeep accompanied by two people when two vehicles that were following him intercepted his vehicle and shot at him,” Mr Bhawra said.

His car was riddled with bullets and Sidhu was found slumped on his seat. He was rushed to Mansa Civil Hospital, but doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Police believe the murder was the result of a rivalry between gangs.