Punjabi artists will not perform at any election rally if the state government fails to implement the anti-piracy act before the election code is imposed. This was announced by a group of artists led by film director Gaurav Trehan, who is the owner of the Chandigarh-based music studio, at the Punjabi Bhawan in the city this morning.

Guarav warned, “Artists are not mere show pieces. If political parties want to use us to pull crowds during election rallies, they should heed to our demands too.”

“We are tired of hollow promises. Recently, Hans Raj Hans assured us that he had had a word with Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbur Singh Badal and that the Goonda Act, which is the anti-piracy act would be soon put in place. But our pleas have fallen on deaf ears,” he said. He was accompanied by Babu Maan, Nachhattar Gill, Mohamad Sadiq among others.

The members devised an action plan to press upon the government to implement the anti-piracy law at the earliest. Gaurav said they had already given two representations to the state government but to no avail. The artists have also announced the setting up of a 12-member committee to devise the future course of action.

“The committee ‘Punjabi Front’ will include members from all walks of the entertainment industry. The front would look into all the aspects of the problem.”

Harpreet Singh Sandhu, the counsel for the group, added, “States down south have put the Goonda Raj into action and have been able to curb the menace. According to the act, if a person is caught for piracy, he can face jail up to a year without any trial.”