Diljit Dosanjh rules out politics, says he is now a US citizen and no longer an Indian national

Diljit Dosanjh reportedly became a United States citizen in 2022 and has been travelling on a US passport since September that year, according to a report by The Indian Express.

The report stated that Dosanjh is no longer an Indian citizen and has been entering India on an e-visa since September 2022. Sources quoted by the newspaper said this indicates he does not currently possess an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card either.

According to the report, the singer-actor’s last Indian passport was issued in Mumbai in 2018, while an older passport had earlier been issued in Zambia. It further claimed that while acquiring American citizenship, Dosanjh listed a five-bedroom bungalow in California as his residential address.

The report also said that his wife, Sandeep Kaur, is a US citizen.

The disclosure has come amid speculation surrounding Dosanjh’s possible entry into Punjab politics after a civil society group publicly appealed to him to take on a leadership role in the state. As per PTI, a group called Jaago Punjab Manch — made up of retired bureaucrats, Army officials and professionals — urged Dosanjh to enter politics, describing him as the kind of leader needed in a “cash-strapped, drug-affected” Punjab.

Dosanjh, however, firmly ruled out any political ambitions.

Sharing a report on X, he wrote: “Kadey v Nhi… Mera Kam Entertainment Karna. Am Very Happy in My Field. Thank You So Much.”

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann later reacted to the speculation, alleging that the BJP was trying to pressure Dosanjh into politics. Mann suggested that following the electoral success of actor-politician C Joseph Vijay in Tamil Nadu, political parties had increasingly begun looking at celebrities as potential political figures.

He also referred to Dosanjh’s social media response, reiterating that the singer had already made it clear he was happy working in the entertainment industry.

Indian citizenship mandatory for political entry

The Indian Express report noted that even if Dosanjh were to reconsider his stance in the future, he would first need to regain Indian citizenship before formally entering politics in India. Referring to Section 6 of the Indian Citizenship Act, the report explained that a foreign national applying for Indian citizenship must meet residency conditions, including living in India for a total of 12 years before applying.

Applicants are also required to have continuous residence during the immediately preceding 12 months and reside in India for 11 of the previous 14 years.

Khalistan row and concert controversy

The issue has also resurfaced amid controversies involving Dosanjh’s international concerts.

According to the report, Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun allegedly threatened Dosanjh after the singer objected to pro-Khalistan flag-waving during concerts in Vancouver and Calgary. PTI had earlier reported that Dosanjh confronted protesters during a concert in Canada, asking those waving flags not to create disturbances during the show.

Another report claimed that during a concert in Calgary, Dosanjh paused his performance and requested people carrying pro-Khalistan flags to move elsewhere, saying the venue should be used for entertainment purposes. Dosanjh later dismissed attempts to disrupt his concerts as a “fake narrative” and said he would not tolerate harassment of his fans.