The political storm in Punjab surrounding ‘Satluj’ movie | Explained

The story so far: Movie on July 3 satlujpreviously titled Punjab’95 It was removed from OTT (Over-the-Top) offerings shortly after its premiere by. ZEE5. The film details the life of activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who worked to expose alleged extrajudicial burnings in Punjab during the traumatic phase of terrorism between the mid-1980s and early 1990s. Although an official blocking order has not been made public, reports suggest that a central government-appointed committee is examining the film under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. Directed by Honey Trehan and starring Diljit Dosanjh, the film premiered after years of delays due to a certification dispute with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). However, within two days, the platform removed the film from its Indian catalogue, while continuing to release it internationally. ZEE5 Global.

political storm

While the controversy surrounding the film and its removal continues unabated, political organisations, youth organizations and religious organizations are organizing public screenings of the film in villages and towns of Punjab. Announcing that the film will be screened in villages, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) claimed that the aim is to ensure that young people are informed about the tragedy and oppression of Jaswant Singh Khalra and thousands of other Sikh youth. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal stated that this film presents the suffering of Punjab at this stage. “And now Punjabis, especially Sikhs, are prevented from remembering that period and recording it as history. SAD will never remain a silent witness of this injustice,” he said.

As policies surrounding the issue gain momentum, Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries Ravneet Singh Bittu said: satluj It cannot hide behind the excuse of “creative freedom” while presenting controversial claims as established history.

Even while asking the producer and director of the film, he stated, “Punjab’s painful past is not a scenario to be selectively constructed to fit a narrative.” satluj The film will put before the people of Punjab all the documentary evidence, official records, forensic findings and verified data that conclusively establish the figure of 25,000 missing or illegally cremated bodies depicted in the film.

Film screening in villages

The film is shown using projectors and large screens in open spaces and open courtyards of village gurdwaras in many villages in Punjab. Besides the Shiromani Akali Dal, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), which oversees the management of historic Gurdwaras, is also screening the film. Also, the Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) team, led by Lok Sabha MP Amritpal Singh, a pro-Khalistan (sovereign state for Sikhs) propagandist currently lodged in Dibrugarh jail in Assam under the National Security Act, is playing a prominent role in screening the film in villages and towns.

What do those who watched the movie say?

Randeep Dhillon, a 42-year-old resident of Dhilwan village in Barnala district, who watched the film in the courtyard of his local Gurdwara last week, still bears the weight of what he witnessed. He had joined others from his community to watch a film revisiting the tumultuous years of militancy in Punjab. “It was truly a soul-shattering experience for me. My heart was shattered after witnessing what happened to our people. Many innocent young people lost their lives. Although the film showed only Sikh youths, the same thing happened to Hindu families as well,” he says.

For Mr. Dhillon, the film wasn’t just a story on the big screen; It was a reminder of the memories he tried to bury. He had experienced those “dark days” but remembered them very little in his childhood. “It should not be banned, people should watch it so that they can be informed about the violations. The new generation, young people and children should know what the conditions were at that time and how unfair the government was. The governments violated everything. There was absolutely no human rights system left. It was a complete dictatorship,” he says.

‘Ardaş’ on July 14

Akal Takht, the highest Sikh religious centre, has announced that a special religious gathering will be held on July 14 at Harike Pattan on the banks of the Satluj River. The event will include:Ardas‘ (Sikh prayer) for the eternal peace of the innocent Sikh youth whose cases were brought to public attention by Khalra. The meeting will also include prayers seeking justice for families affected by the troubling times.